Metempsychosis
by Kanti
Summary: Part Three. The conflict intensifies as WOOHP, Atlas, and the Wolfpack vie for supremacy. As they probe deeper, the girls discover the true nature of the fight ahead of them, and must prepare for a fight that will consume them as well as their loved ones.
1. Chapter One

Author's note: Yes, as the description says, this is my last fanfiction. Ever. But don't get discouraged, because I beleive in going out with nothing short of a ten megaton bomb! This one is my pet project, and I'll be taking the story in directions I've never tried before. If you don't like what I'll be doing, you have no obligation to keep reading. However, you'll be missing out on some really freaking cool stuff I'm going to do once the plot takes off.I'll try to update every Monday. Enjoy the ride.

* * *

**Metempsychosis**

** Part One: Harbinger  
**

**me·tem·psy·cho·sis **(m-tms-kss) - Reincarnation.

**Chapter One**

"Welcome back," began the host. "For those of you just joining us, we have with us Dr. Vincent Tsubaki, CEO of United Communications, and Phil Teleri, CEO of Delphi." The camera cut to each person as the host named them. Dr. Tsubaki was an aged man with puffy white hair ringing his otherwise bald head. A barely perceptible slant to his eyes belied his Asian heritage on an otherwise Anglo-Saxon face. Teleri was a Mulatto, younger than Tsubaki but possessing the same keen intellect and confident gleam in his eyes.

"Tonight, we've been discussing the issue of the unprecedented expansion of communications technologies and the implications on the short and long-term scales. Now Dr. Tsubaki, you were arguing that we need to tool down the development of our technologies before the break. Care to expand on that?"

"Gladly," began Tsubaki. "As I already explained, I'm not an opponent of technological advances. I personally designed many systems in use today and have always supported the continued development of these technologies, for without progress, our society stagnates."

"I see. Go on."

"The problem we are now facing, unfortunately, stems from these very advances. I have been a careful observer of the ebb and flow of technology, and it has become clear to me that we may be making a grave error. One that, if not taken care of soon, could prove disastrous."

"Care to get to the point, Doctor?" asked Teleri.

Tsubaki remained calm and continued unabated. "The problem we face is that our systems are woefully insecure. What we lack is not the technology, but safeguards to protect the systems we have become so reliant upon. Just as there is an entire network dedicated to insuring, policing, protecting, and monitoring vehicles, there ought to be a similar system in place to protect our communications systems. Without it, our systems are like a trapeze artist without a net. He may be secure in his skills, but one foul-up and it's a long way to the ground."

"Strong words, Doctor," said the host. "Care to respond Mr. Teleri?"

Teleri cleared his throat. "Doctor, I am familiar with your work and have a great deal of respect for you. But I must disagree with your assessment of the technological state. The people at Delphi toil endlessly to secure our communications networks as best we can. The problem is, security is not pro-active. Try as we might, hackers will always be one step ahead of even the best and brightest minds. The best we can do is securing our systems as best we can and hope for the best."

"Hope for the best? Just last month the entire INS computer system was almost wiped out by a vicious hack job the perpetrators of which have yet to be identified. If I'm not mistaken, isn't your company contracted for the INS's system security?"

"Doctor, you of all people should realize that a completely secure system is a myth. There will always be some cracker out there with A-class skills who will find a way into any system if he has enough time and patience."

"I am aware of this, thank you. I've lost many a hair to solving my company's own security issues."

The two of them chuckled before Tsubaki continued.

"However, I have come to believe that this game of leap-frog is the result of outmoded business practices and thought processes. I believe that a completely secure system is possible, but the way in which the industry is run prevents that."

Teleri shifted and focused on Tsubaki. "Go on."

"The problem lies in progress itself. How on earth are we supposed to develop completely secure systems if we keep adopting new ones every year? The pace of technological advance has reached such a rapid pace that we no longer have time to perfect the systems we have today because we are too busy preparing the systems of tomorrow. Instead of fixing the current issues, we patch them over long enough to keep us 'till the next version."

"So you're saying that progress is unhealthy? Coming from a CEO, that rings of blasphemy, Doctor."

Tsubaki snorted. "Too much of a good thing is never good, Teleri. My fear is that our technological progression is outstripping our ability to protect it. This is why cybercrime has become such a major issue in the last few years."

"Cybercrime will always be a major issue in the future. As the technological field grows, so will the criminals who will try to exploit it. That's how it has always been, and always will be."

"I don't think it has to be that way."

"Then what do you propose?'

"I propose that we place a temporary hiatus on developing new systems and focus our energies on securing our current systems from harm."

Teleri paused. "I don't think your investors will like hearing that. A complete halt to research and design would cost your company millions of dollars a day, even if it is to fix these problems you speak of."

"Then let them. Cybercrime is expanding at an alarming rate. If we fail to take measures to protect our vital communications systems, there's not telling what kind of disasters we're setting ourselves up for in the future."

"Frankly, Doctor, I think you're blowing this out of proportion. Security advances right alongside technology. Only an idiot would build a house with no locks, and we are not idiots, Doctor. All of our systems go through extensive testing and we install extensive security measures into each and every one. Even when they are broken into, it's usually some time before the system is hacked and the flaw is usually easily repaired."

"Refresh my memory, Teleri. Windows XP was hacked how soon after it was released?"

"Public operating systems are one thing, but A-class security systems contracted out for millions of dollars are an entirely different matter."

"So what? They're both complex compilations of code that can be manipulated by a skilled enough programmer."

"Then we agree on something?"

"Yes." Tsubaki smiled. "Doesn't that mean the debate is over?"

"Pretty much,' said the host. "Closing arguments?"

"Our most vital systems are critically vulnerable, and prolonged hesitation in rectifying these vulnerabilities will only lead to disaster. For proof, look no further than last month's INS case."

"So long as people look hard enough, they will always find ways to exploit a system. Total security is impossible, as there will always be more people trying to break the system than those who enforce it. The best we can do is, should the system be broken, insuring there's a backup plan."

The station's transition music began playing and the camera cut back to the host. "Thank you gentlemen, it's been a pleasure having you both here. After the break it's World News at Nine. Good night, America." The camera panned away to show the host and his guests exchanging handshakes as the lights dimmed before fading to the first commercial.

Sam was waiting for Dr. Tsubaki beside the studio door and opened the door for him. She handed his briefcase to him and fell into step beside him as he walked briskly down the narrow hallway.

"How did it go, Vincent?"

"This nation is full of fools," he growled.

Sam fixed her jaw. "Oh. That bad?"

"The problem is right there in front of us but no one will bother fixing it because next year's model is always just around the corner. I'd resign right now if I didn't think I could do some good in my position."

"Uh-huh." They approached the elevator and Sam pressed the call button. Tsubaki pressed two fingers against his forehead and sighed. "Sorry about that, Sam. I'm just a frustrated old man."

"There, there," she cooed. "It's just one debate show. I think you smoked that guy."

"Aye. But will anyone remember what I said in the morning?" The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. Sam pressed the lobby button and the elevator quickly descended.

"Can I get you anything? To drink perhaps?"

"Something cold, please."

"O-kay!" She'd have to make a quick detour at the vending machine in the lobby. She found 75 cents in her purse and held it ready in one hand. As soon as the doors opened, she veered to the right while Tsubaki strode purposefully to the front door. Sam quickly selected a canned tea drink and rejoined him as he reached the security checkpoint. They passed the inspection and headed out the front doors, where a limo was waiting for them. Tsubaki climbed in and Sam took her seat opposite him while he started on the canned drink.

Sam sat rigidly as possible while Dr. Tsubaki's mind appeared to wander off somewhere else. During the entirety of her long internship, she still hadn't quite been able to ease up around the respected developer. He was her boss, after all. _Professionalism is everything, Samantha,_ he had told her during the interview. _I only hire and work with professionals, can you manage that?_

_Yes!_ Was her reserved, but enthusiastic reply.

Sam looked up from her reminiscence to find the Doctor staring at her.

"Is there…something the matter, sir?"

"Sam, have you enjoyed your internship with my company?"

"Yes!" _There were parts that sucked, but overall…_

"Do you feel that you've learned something valuable as a result?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Just making sure. I've kept you on a long time, Sam. Much longer than usual for an intern. Do you know why?"

"Um, not really, no."

He sighed. "I don't really know myself. I guess I just like you, is all."

Sam fidgeted nervously. She unconsciously began twisting her engagement ring on her finger.

Vincent smiled teasingly. "Not like that. The truth is, I think you'll go far, Sam. You're driven, intelligent, and idealistic. It almost makes me mad that you want to get into politics."

"Well, what do you expect me to do with a Political Science degree from Harvard, flip burgers?"

"Point taken. You know I was in the State Legislature for a spell, right?"

"Yes sir."

Vincent sighed. "The political machine is a slaughterhouse for idealistic young people, Sam. I should know, I was one of them when I started."

Sam said nothing and waited for him to continue.

"Politicians are owned by special interests. As long as they keep filling congress' coffers, they're the ones that decide policy. Maybe that's why I started United Com. I wanted to make a real difference in the world."

Sam brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. "Well that's an awfully pessimistic way to see it. Did you honestly think one person could change the whole legislature?"

"Then you agree that the whole system is full of backstabbing, self-centered, spineless wonders?"

"Well I wouldn't go that far, but yes, I do think there are a lot of bad people in the government. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to change it. The whole reason it got like that is because people who should be running for office aren't even trying."

Vincent eyed her while he took another sip from his drink. "I wish there were more people like you. Then maybe we'd see some real progress."

"Exactly! Somebody has to start it! Don't all actions start with one person's idea? Jefferson's ideas about freedom practically wrote most of the Constitution."

"And just what do you intend to do to get other driven, intelligent people into the circus we call politics?"

Sam paused. "I'm not sure, but I'll figure something out."

Vincent smiled again. After a while, he asked, "So, how's your fiancée doing? What was his name again?"

"Brad," she said with a barely-controlled dreamy twist.

"Ah, that's right. How is he?"

"Wonderful as ever. At least when I left LA he was."

"I'm sure he'll be fine when you get back. Sounds like a fine young man, from what I hear of your raving on the phone."

Sam blushed. "You've…heard me on the phone?"

"I may be an old man, but I'm not deaf. Sometimes I do sit close enough to overhear your cell phone chatter."

Sam averted her eyes and stared out the window. "Are we close to the airport yet?"

Vincent laughed. "Is it really that embarrassing, Sam? Most women I've known gladly spill their guts about their groom-to-be. I remember my wife wouldn't stop when we were engaged."

"Well, it's just that…you told me this job is all about professionalism. I just didn't think-"

"That the love of your life is something to discuss in front of your boss?"

"Sort of."

"Come now, Sam. Your internship ends in two weeks, and then I cut you loose upon the world. I think you have a little breathing room as far as decorum is concerned."

"Well, it's also just that this is something I usually keep between friends and family. You're my boss, not that I don't like you or anything, but I prefer to keep my family life separate from my business life."

"A wise choice if ever I heard one. A wise man once said to never confuse what you do with who you are."

Sam considered the proverb. "Hmm."

They sat in silence for a while as they drew closer to the airport.

"Well, New York was fun," said Sam, "but I can't wait to be back in LA."

"Me either. This place may be the greatest city on earth, but it lacks Southern California's climate."

"I'll drink to that." Sam started to reach for the tiny compartment with the drinks, but Tsubaki stayed her hand.

"Please, not now. I'm getting a headache from all this rushing around today."

"Okay. Do you need some aspirin?"

"No, just a nice nap in a dark room."

"Okay." Sam leaned against the window and sighed heavily. "Man, what a long day. I can't wait to see Brad again."

"Believe me, whatever you've been through, I've had it worse. Just be glad you still have your youth."

"Youth? I'm almost 26. I can hardly be called a youth anymore."

"And when you're almost 60 like me, you'll be saying the exact same thing to some young intern. Which reminds me, I've been meaning to ask what you were planning on after your internship terminates?"

Sam thought for a moment. "Well, Brad's got some strings he can pull and thinks he can get me a nice job in the Governor's department."

"The Governor's office? He must have some mighty big strings. What does he do for a living?"

"He's been in and out of the publication business for a long time, now. Right now he's got a job with the Commerce Department."

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. What does he do there, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all. He travels a _lot_. The majority of our conversations are over the phone. He's always really busy."

"I see. Do you plan on having any children?"

"Eventually, yes. But not right away." She paused. "Why are you so interested in my personal life all of a sudden? The most you've asked me before is where I went to lunch when I came in late one time."

"I remember that. I've just been thinking back and I've suddenly realized just how valuable you've been to me. I'm actually quite sad to have to let you go. Of course, I can find you a useful position within the company if you'd only ask."

Sam giggled. "Thanks, but no. I've been working toward this for a long time, now. Though I do appreciate the offer."

"So how high do you intend to go?"

"As far as I can."

Tsubaki stared at her for a moment. "No, Madame President doesn't really suit you. Senator seems more appropriate."

Sam blushed and giggled. "Oh, stop!"

"I'm sorry, but I just have a hard time seeing you behind the seal of the Office of President. But if it comes to that, I suppose I can adjust. I've always been flexible."

"Well, by the time I'm old enough, you'll be a senile old man, anyhow."

"No, I'll be retired with my wife in the Caymans, running my own charter sailing business to keep busy."

Sam looked at him quizzically. "I'm sorry, I just have a hard time seeing you in shorts and a cabana shirt."

They shared a laugh as the limo pulled up to the airport entrance. They got out and passed through several layers of security before proceeding to their terminal.

"You know, flying used to be a lot of fun," said Tsubaki. "Your family was always waiting for you at the terminal when you arrived, or waving goodbye as you left, and you didn't have soldiers everywhere. Nowadays I feel like I walking through Ft. Bradley instead of JFK."

"Well, I think it's your own fault if you give potential enemies weapons to fight with in the first place. After all, we did arm Al-Quaeda during the Cold War."

"That may be. But I've had an easier time in Beth Israel, and they're literally surrounded by people who would like nothing more than to carpet bomb their country. Why we can't take a page or two from their airport security manual is beyond me."

Sam shrugged. "Because that would be the smart thing to do."

Tsubaki grunted his agreement as they approached their terminal. The company jet waited for them outside with the engines running and the lights glimmering like diamonds in the night. The two of them stepped out into the night air and walked down the stairs to the tarmac. They crossed the open space to the plane, where a flight attendant greeted them with a warm smile at the hatch. They climbed into the plane, said hello to the pilots, and took a pair of the thick leather seats that occupied the cabin.

They strapped themselves in as the plane taxied onto the runway and took off.

Sam looked out the window and watched the sea of lights that was New York City. The plane banked and the city was hidden from view as the plane set a western course for Los Angeles. Sam felt her ears pop as the plane ascended. It was a crystal-clear night, so there were no clouds to rise above. There was no moon that night, which gave Sam a good look at the heavenly expanse above them. The plane finally leveled out after several minutes and Sam and Dr. Tsubaki unbuckled their belts. Tsubaki rose and stretched.

"I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get close to the city."

"Yes sir."

"By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask."

"Yes?'

"I remember from your resume that you once worked for WOOHP. It sticks out in my mind because most of the information was classified. Am I correct?"

Sam started. All these years, she had been totally secretive about her employment with WOOHP. Jerry's parting gift for them had been to classify all their work for their own protection. All her employers had been satisfied with even that much information.

"Uh, yes sir. I did work for the WOOHP for a few years."

"As a receptionist, right?"

"Y-yes sir."

Tsubaki shot her a penetrating look, and then shrugged and turned away. "Alright, just making sure. Good night, Sam."

Tsubaki went back to the sleeping compartment and closed the door behind him. Sam turned to the window and stared out at the dark expanse for a long time.

Two weeks. In two weeks her internship with Dr. Tsubaki would end. She couldn't help but feel a bit of trepidation at the prospect of being cut loose in the professional world, all on her own for the most part. She knew she couldn't go with another internship. She was almost 26. She was getting married for crying out loud! She had already taken the first few steps to her career, and now it was time to take the next few. And she had Brad to thank for it.

Brad. Her wonderful fiancée. Handsome, brilliant, and well connected. Also a bit of a slob and a workaholic. Yet she still loved him with all her heart. She raised her hand and gazed at her engagement ring. It seemed so bizarre at one level. Just a few months ago, they were holding hands and walking through the park on a clear spring day. Then without warning, he got on one knee, produced the ring, and asked her to marry him. She had been expecting him to pop the question for some time, but it still came as a total shock. Now, just a few more months until the wedding. She sighed and held the ring to her chest. It all seemed so surreal. Even more so than when Alex showed up one day a couple of years ago with an engagement ring on her finger. Sam couldn't help but remember the strangest sense of vertigo when Alex came bounding into Clover's apartment with the ring on. She knew Clover felt the same way, if not worse.

_Poor Clover. She's so pretty, yet she hasn't found "the one" yet, even as hard as she's trying_. Sam knew someone was out there for Clover, they just hadn't crossed paths yet.

She sighed heavily and decided to give Brad a call. She picked up the plane's phone and called his apartment. No answer. Brad rarely turned his answering machine on. She tried his cell phone. The tone rang a few times before he answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Brad!"

"Hey, honey! What are you up to?"

"I'm on my way back to LA. I should be back in a few hours."

"Great! How'd your boss' debate go?'

"He ran circles around his opponent, but I don't think anybody really cared."

"Ouch. I guess that's how it goes, eh?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"So, how are you?"

"Exhausted, but otherwise okay."

"Good. Long day?"

"Extremely. Crossing the country twice in the same day isn't the most relaxing experience ever."

"And you're the one in a company jet. Just try doing it coach."

Sam chuckled. "Leather seats or no, it's not much fun."

"I'm sorry. I guess you're planning on sleeping in tomorrow?"

"Yeah, probably. I feel like a dead woman." Then Sam had a thought. _I haven't seen Alex and Clover in a long time._ "On second thought, I do have plans tomorrow."

"Do they involve not going anywhere all day long and locking your apartment door?"

"No, I need to see Alex and Clover again. I haven't seen those two in a long time."

"Clover? She's the Maid of Honor, right?"

"Yeah. I think she deserves some part in a wedding, since she's the only one of us who hasn't had one of her own."

"Yeah, that's really sweet of you, Sammie."

"Thanks. I owe her more than you can imagine. It's only fair."

"Right. So when can I see you again?"

"Anytime you like, silly! Why don't you come with? I know Clover and Alex like you a lot."

"Naw, I know you guys were inseparable way back. I'd just distract you. You need to see just them."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She paused. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, Sammie."

Sam's heart ached. She wanted to be beside him again. She knew both of them had important work to do, but she couldn't help feeling a little selfish. He was going to be her husband. It just didn't seem right that they should be separated so often. These periods of separation did make their time together that much more special, but she wanted more. She wanted him so badly.

"So what are you up to?" she asked.

"Guess."

"Work?"

"Nope!"

"Okay then, what?"

"I'm sitting in Barnes & Noble, sipping coffee and reading a book."

Sam smirked. "Are you sure that's a good idea? If your boss finds out, he might make up something for you to do on the spot."

"Fat chance. He doesn't have my cell phone number, and I already finished all my projects."

"Well you've just got the whole world in your palm, don't you?'

"I'd much rather it be your chin, but I'll take what I can get."

Sam giggled.

"Seriously! I'd rather be drowning in work and have you with me than free and you not around."

"Me too."

They let the silence linger with Sam's words hanging in their minds.

"Well, I guess I should let you enjoy your day off," she said at length.

"I am, Sammie. I am."

"I mean, if you've got something more important to do…"

"I don't. What could be more important than talking to my future wife?"

Sam's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. She always did that anytime he referred to her as "wife." It still felt so uncanny.

"Sam, if you've got to do something, then feel free to hang up. We can just get together later. How's the day after tomorrow sound?"

"Sounds wonderful!"

"Great! A romantic dinner for two it is, then."

"Perfect."

They paused.

"I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too."

Sam hung up the phone and sighed. She drew her knees to her chest and rocked back in her seat as she stared out the window. The view was now wrapped in a blanket of night, except for the pinpricks of light from the stars above. She smiled to herself and sighed romantically.

_Just three more months._


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Sam slept late into the next morning. When she finally poked her head out of the covers, the sun was high and pouring its brilliance through the blinds. She groggily reached out and looked at her alarm clock. 10:30. She grunted and sat up. Her hair was a tangled and matted from yesterday, and tied up so it wouldn't suffocate her in her sleep. She rubbed her bleary eyes, which drifted to her bedside table. Her ring and wristwatch sat beside each other, her ring safely in the center of the table, next to the lamp. She tossed the sheets off and swung her feet off the bed as she stretched her back. She threw on a cotton blouse and detoured into the kitchen to start the coffee machine before hitting the shower. She soaked herself for a long time, letting the hot water run across her skin before eventually picking up the soap.

When she finished her shower and toweled dry, she wrapped her hair in the towel and tied her bathrobe around herself. She stepped out of the now-steamy bathroom and found the whole apartment filled with the aroma of brewing coffee. She went to the living room and opened the blinds to let the warm sunlight into the room. Her apartment gave her a nice view of the park next door. The trees swayed gently in the breeze and cast a rolling web of light and shadow on the ground beneath them. The fountain in the courtyard had been turned off for maintenance, but its marbled surface added a neo-classical flair to the complex. Sam had enjoyed the privilege of living here for the last four years. She had won this apartment by lot, and the apartments here were much sought-after by many wealthy would-be tenants.

Sam stood in the late-morning sunlight for a while before turning her attention to the coffee pot. She almost hated the idea of giving up this place to live with Brad. Almost.

She poured herself a cup and mixed in some cream and sugar. She took a dainty sip of the hot beverage and picked up the phone from her desk. She hit speed dial 2 (her parents were on 1), and waited. The line rang many times before it finally picked up. A sleepy woman answered.

"Hello?"

"Clover, do you know what time it is?"

There was a brief pause. "Sam, are you on something I should know about?"

"No, silly. I just wanted to tell you that it's now…" she checked the clock, "eleven in the morning."

"It's Saturday, Sammie. Neither of us has to work today. Why'd you wake me up?"

"Because the three of us haven't seen each other in a long time, and I think it's time to put a stop to that."

"Three of us?" Clover paused again. "Ohhh, I almost forgot about Alex."

"Clover!"

"Sorry, I didn't get in until four this morning."

"Wow. I'm sure Mandy was happy about that."

"Mandy went with me. We had a great…oog…time."

"Sounds like you had a little too much fun."

"That's a dirty lie, Sammie. There's no such thing as too much fun."

"With that attitude you'll never settle down."

"Hey, that's mean!"

"Come on, you're my best friend and Maid of Honor. I deserve to poke at you a little."

"…Whatever. Now what was this early morning wake-up call for again?"

"I wanted to see if you wanted to get some lunch with me today."

"Sounds good. Where at?"

"How does Francois' sound?"

"Sounds like a plan. Is 12:30 good? I'm kind of indecent right now."

"Sounds perfect. I'll call Alex and see you there."

"Great! Bye, Sam."

"Bye!"

Sam turned the phone off and turned it on again. She hit speed dial 3 and waited. After a couple of rings, a cheery voice answered.

"Hello, Alex here!"

"Hey, Alex!"

"Sammie! Where've you been?"

"Busy. How about you?"

"Same here. So what's up?"

"I just wanted to know if you wanted to meet me and Clover for lunch at Francois.'"

"I'd love to! Man, I haven't seen you guys at the same time in forever."

Sam could hear a few voices in the background. "Where are you?"

"I'm at work right now."

"On a Saturday?"

"Yep. Some people need physical therapy on Saturdays, too. Unfortunately, one of them is my patient."

"Aww, that's too bad. Can you still come?"

"It's not until this afternoon, so I'm just doing some paperwork ahead of time. So yeah, I'll be there. What time?"

"12:30."

"Great, I'll be there!"

"Good. Don't keep us waiting."

Alex chuckled. "I won't. Bye, Sammie!"

"Bye!" Sam turned the phone off and replaced it on the base. She sipped at her coffee as she went back into her bedroom and began going through her clothes.

"Let's see…no, too formal…too casual…too professional…too flashy…ah-ha! Perfect!"

She selected a pair of capris and a red tube top with a black vest, just to cover her shoulders. She wasn't exactly available anymore now, was she?

She laid her outfit on the bed and slipped her ring on. She returned to the bathroom to dry her hair and apply makeup before getting dressed. She went back to the bathroom to make some final adjustments and found herself staring at her reflection.

"Sammie, you've changed, girl."

Indeed she had. Her girlish figure had filled out and matured into that of a woman. She had shortened her long auburn hair into a style more appropriate for the professional life, but it was still as full and flowing as ever. She certainly took pride in still being able to turn heads, though now there was only one head she ever wanted turning.

Sam made the last few adjustments to her hair, slipped her shoes on, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door. On her way out, she paused to exchange greetings with one of her neighbors before going down to the parking lot. She found her car and smiled a little. The sporty little BMW had been her graduation gift. Fast, fuel efficient and distinctive from the gray boxes that populated the highways. Sure, it had lost its new car luster and was in need of a wash, and there was a terrible stain on the floorboard that would never come out, but she still cherished her car and took good care of it. She realized that she'd probably have to sell it whenever she and Brad would decide to have a child. She shrugged and found comfort in the fact she would be losing a car, but gaining a family.

She climbed in and started the car. The engine purred pleasantly and she exited through the complex gate.

Traffic was light as she headed across town and the sky was dotted with a few puffy white clouds. Off in the hazy distance, she could make out the familiar shape of the WOOHP building.

_Strange, _she thought, _it's been years since I've been inside that place. We used to get WOOHPed there almost every day for one reason or another. Now it's like the elementary school you never visit anymore. I wonder how Jerry's doing with his retirement? What was his replacement's name again? _She snapped out of her reverie in time to brake before a merging vehicle almost clipped her car. _I think I should worry about that after I get there!_

_

* * *

_

Half an hour later, Sam pulled into the parking lot in front of a small shopping center. The café was located right on the corner farthest from the street. The location gave the café plenty of exposure while setting it a comfortable distance from the road. A covered patio had been added onto the side of the building, allowing patrons to enjoy their coffee outside when the weather was nice, as it was most of the time in Los Angeles.

She walked into the café and ordered some hot tea before heading outside. She secured one of the smaller tables and pulled out her PDA. She started going through her schedule, setting reminders, adding and deleting events, rearranging errands and important dates. She then went to a special folder marked "wedding." Inside was every contact she would need, from Brad all the way down to the flower girl. The calendar inside held every date important to the wedding such as reservation deadlines, the wedding itself, and the honeymoon. She was just about to open the honeymoon subfolder when a familiar voice interrupted her.

"Well, aren't you just a busy little bee?"

Sam looked up and found Alex and Clover standing behind her. She set the PDA on the table and stood up to hug them both.

"You made it!"

"Of course!" said Alex. "I wouldn't miss seeing my best friend for the world!"

"And it's not like I had anything better to do!" said Clover.

Sam let go of them and motioned to the table. "Well, sit down! Tell me what you guys have been up to."

They moved to their seats and sat down. As they did so, Alex scooped Sam's PDA off the table and looked at the screen and went "ooh!"

"Hey! Give that back!" Sam reached for the PDA, but Alex held it just out of her reach.

"What is it?" asked Clover as she leaned in for a look.

Alex tapped on the screen. "It's Sam's honeymoon plans!"

"Ooh, let me see!"

Sam's face was turning red. "Hey! That's private! Give it back!" She grasped for the PDA again, and Alex held it just out of reach again.

"Wow! London, Madrid, Reims, Rome, Athens…"

"Wow, you two are going all over Europe. You must be so excited!"

Sam began chewing on a nail. "Well, yeah…"

"I'm so jealous," said Alex. "Mark and I just went to Alaska. You're seeing half the world it seems!" Alex tossed Sam the PDA. As she did so, her hand passed through a shaft of sunlight, causing a brilliant glare to burst off the diamonds in her wedding ring. The glare went right in Clover's eye, and she suddenly realized that both her friends were wearing rings and pouted.

Sam noticed and asked in a concerned voice, "What's wrong, Clover?"

"The fact that of the three of us, I'm the only one who's ring-less."

Alex wrapped her arms around Clover. "Aww, don't worry, Clover! I'm sure there's a Mr. Right out there for you. You just haven't met him yet!" As she hugged Clover, her ring drifted right in front of Clover's nose. Clover eyed the ring enviously and sighed.

"But what if there is no Mr. Right? What if I'm doomed to die alone, or prematurely in some terrible accident? I want a beau now!"

Sam reached across the table and held Clover's hand. "Hey, is that the Clover we've always known? Since when were you the one to give up on guys?" Clover now had a close-up view of both their rings.

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"Can I…have a look at your ring?"

"Uhh, sure."

Clover held Sam's hand up and looked at her engagement ring closely. The Sapphire stone was encircled with tiny diamonds that acted like mirrors, reflecting sunlight into the Sapphire, giving it a luminescent quality that made it look alive on Sam's finger.

Clover looked at Sam sheepishly. "Can I…put it on?"

Sam withdrew her hand and grinned. "I'm afraid you'll have to get one of your own!"

"But Sammie!"

"Sorry, but that's how it goes in the marriage game!"

Clover slumped over onto the table. "No fair."

Sam patted her on the head. "Cheer up! You are my Maid of Honor, remember?"

"Always a bridesmaid and never a bride."

Sam cocked her head to one side. "Brad's best man is really cute. And available."

Clover perked up. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah."

"I'll…think about it." Naturally, that was a lie. Her mind was already made up. Alex and Sam knew this and laughed inside.

"So, how's life with Mandy?" asked Sam.

"Oh, Mandy's just fine. It's all her friends that come over and play cards for hours on end that keep me up."

Clover did something rather unexpected then. She reached into her purse and drew a box of cigarettes and a lighter. She tapped out a cigarette, held it between her lips, lit it, and then blew a puff of smoke into the air. Sam and Alex knew she'd taken up smoking for years, but they hadn't gotten used to the sight of her lighting up for some reason.

"So why not join in?" Alex asked.

"Because I suck at Poker, that's why." She took another drag and expelled it over their heads.

"But I thought you were good at poker?" said Sam.

"Yeah, Texas Hold'em. But they never play Texas Hold'em."

"So why not ask Mandy to teach you some tricks?"

Clover pointed her lit cigarette at Sam. "Hey, I already live with her. I don't need to start taking advice from her. I'm just glad we have separate bedrooms, is all."

Alex snickered. "You know, not too long ago, I thought that you and Mandy sharing the same living space would signal the Apocalypse. Now you're sharing rent and utilities, working together, sleeping under the same roof. Hey, that reminds me, how is your business going?"

Clover took another drag. "Well," she exhaled it, "we're still on rocky soil, but things have been getting smoother lately. We've got a couple of hot talents under our wings now, so we might stand for some recognition."

"That's great!"

"Don't I know it? But they're still unsigned, so we've been shopping them like mad."

"I thought they were hot talents?" said Sam.

"Oh, they are. The problem is their faces. One of them, Greg, is a dead ringer for Steve McQueen, and Isabelle has a major Catherine Hepburn thing going. The problem is, nobody wants Steve McQueens and Catherine Hepburns anymore."

"Well that's a shame."

"I know. I just saw _Buliit_ for the first time last week when Mandy brought it up, and Steve is a total hottie." The conversation paused and Clover took another drag on her cigarette. Smoke curled from the ashes as she stared into the distance. "So how are your beaus?"

"Absolutely perfect," answered Alex and Sam simultaneously.

Clover stared at them inquisitively for a moment and then motioned at Alex. "Why don't you go first?"

"Okay!" Alex cleared her throat. "Well, Mark's been on active duty for the past couple of weeks, but he gets back this afternoon!"

"That's great!"  
"I know. It's so lonely at the apartment when he's away. I guess I should be glad he's not a flyboy. I've heard they're nothing but trouble."

Sam and Clover nodded assent. They had each dated Air Force pilots, who had enough ego between them to light the city.

"So what do you have planned when he gets back?" asked Sam.

Alex's grin spread from ear to ear and she went silent.

"Fine, keep your secrets!"

"I will, thankyouverymuch."

The waitress arrived and served their drinks. Clover extinguished her cigarette and the girls ordered a light lunch.

They sipped at their hot drinks for a little while before anyone said anything. They simply basked in the pleasure of being in one another's company for once. But things were different now. Alex was a loving wife and skilled physical therapist. Clover was a hard-working talent agent trying to get her agency off the ground with her former high school rival. Sam was a bride-to-be and an ambitious professional. Their career paths were so different. Back then, they had the common experiences of high school and their WOOHP activities to bond with. Now? WOOHP is a fond, but distant memory, and they are in different parts of the city all day long.

When Sam realized she'd be moving halfway across the state soon enough, she sighed sadly and set her cup down.

"What's wrong, Sammie?" Alex asked.

"I just realized, if I land this job with the governor, I'll have to move out of Los Angeles. We won't be living in the same city anymore."

Alex and Clover lowered their eyes and stared sadly into their cups. If it was implied before, it was explicit now; they were drifting apart. Their friendships had been across rough terrain in college, what with Sam at Harvard and Alex and Clover both at Cal State, but now their lives were taking them in completely different directions.

They were growing up.

Moving on.

College was temporary. They still had their summers and Christmas breaks together. It wasn't a permanent separation. But now they were making lasting decisions in their lives. Their families required constant work. Their careers took so much time and energy out of them. Even though they only lived a few miles away from one another, they hardly ever saw each other anymore. Clover and Sam still maintained a good line of communication, but usually it was concerning the wedding or another related matter.

It made all three of them sick to their stomachs. What was happening to their friendship? Were school and WOOHP really the only things keeping them together?

What did the future hold for them as friends?

Their food arrived, but they didn't touch it. They stared at one another, their eyes passing a hundred difficult questions between them.

At length, Alex broke the silence. "Sam, please don't move away."

Sam tightened her grip on her cup. "I…I don't want to leave you guys. I really don't. But this could be the most important move in my career yet. I can't…I don't want…"

Alex's misty eyes met hers. "It's okay, Sammie. You and Brad and your career are more…more…important…they…you…we…" she cupped her head in her hand and set her elbow on the table with an audible "thud," at loss for words.

Clover looked from one to the other in despair. She swallowed and took a deep breath. "Sam, you know what's important for you, and so do I. You're about to start a _family_. Even I know that's way more important than our selfish wants."

Sam looked up at her. "Clover…"

Clover silenced her with a wave of her hand. "No, Sam. Brad is more important than us. I'd like nothing more than for you to stay here with us, but I don't want you to make a mistake that would make your life miserable. You should do whatever your heart tells you."

"And if my heart wants to do both?"

"Then you'll find something. You're the smartest person I've ever known. If you can't find a way, then there really is no hope."

Sam stared at her. It was amazing how much Clover had grown up, both physically and emotionally, over the years. She closed her mouth and smiled. "Thanks, Clover. I will find a way. I can't just abandon you two. Not my best friends. Not even for Brad."

"Like Clover said, don't ruin your life for us. We wouldn't want to see you do something that stupid."

"I won't. You guys are too important to me to abandon. I won't let what we have end. Not as long as I can help it."

Alex placed her hand on Sam's outstretched hand. "Neither will I."

Clover placed her hands on theirs. "Me either."

Sam stared at them, her heart swelling with pride. And then she had a thought. "So, how do we do that?"

Alex thought about it for a moment. "Well, I think we're off to a good start, getting lunch on a nice day."

"Oh yeah, we did get some lunch, didn't we?'

They withdrew their hands and turned their attentions on their lunches. Sam was halfway through hers when she noticed something terribly important missing.

"AAAH! Where is it?" she screamed.

"What?" said an Alex in alarm.

"My ring! My engagement ring! It's not there anymore!"

Alex looked, and sure enough, a pale band of skin occupied the spot where her ring was. Sam looked around frantically, checking under the table, in her purse, her chair, and other tables. She was just about to call the police when she noticed a familiar gleam coming from Clover's direction. She looked and saw Clover wearing the engagement ring and admiring it.

"CLOVER!"

Clover turned to her casually. "Hmm?"

"I think you know damn well!" said Sam as she pointed at the ring.

"Oh, this thing?" she studied the ring for a few moments before removing it and handing it back to Sam. "It's not my style."

Sam fumed as she slid the ring back on. "Of all the nerve, swiping my ring right of my damn finger!" She picked up her fork and paused. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I took some slight-of-hand lessons from a magician friend of mine."

Alex stared at her in disbelief. "Doesn't that kind of stuff take years to master?"

"Well yeah! I've been practicing this stuff since college."

"What? I never saw you, and I was in your dorm all the time."

"Not all the time. Remember when your favorite teddy bear brooch vanished for a month?"

"Yeah, what does…" she stopped and her mouth fell open as a huge grin spread across Clover's face. "You didn't."

Sam and Clover laughed aloud while Alex simmered in her frustration.

The waitress returned and asked them for refills, which they accepted. She took their drinks inside and the girls stared at each other.

"So Sam, how're the wedding plans going?" asked Alex.

"Smooth for the most part. A few hang-ups here and there, but nothing major."

"Well, what are the problems? I've already done this once before, I might be able to help."

"Well, I still can't find a dress that suits me and-"

"Ooh! Let me help!" exclaimed Clover.

Sam snorted and almost choked on her food. "Calm down, Clover! The wedding isn't for three more months."

"I know, but I just want to make sure you have the best wedding possible. You deserve it!"

"Thanks."

"I mean it!"

"Of course you do," she said matter-of-factly.

"Hey, let's not take it too far."

"No, please keep going."

"Sorry, but you've got a big enough head already."

"Hey!"

Alex and Clover chuckled.

The waitress returned and set the new drinks on the table. Sam, Alex, and Clover sipped at their beverages for a moment.

"But seriously, Sam," Alex began, "if you've got any questions about planning a wedding, don't hesitate to ask me. I've done one more than you have."

"Thanks. I'll remember that."

"So do you have any questions?"

Sam paused while she thought. "Well, we were planning on having the reception at the Bayside Hotel ballroom, but some people I've talked to suggested I look elsewhere. What do you think?"

Alex thought for a moment. "Bayside Hotel, Bayside Hotel…oh, now I remember that place. Mark and I looked into it when we were planning our wedding. Will it be a day or night reception?"

"Night."

"Yeah, you'll want to try someplace else. During the day it's perfect, with the sunlight shining through the skylights and refracting through the chandeliers and reflecting off the marble floors, but at night it actually looks kinda grungy. It might do for some other event, but not for a wedding reception."

"Okay, so where would you suggest?"

"I would suggest the place Mark and I used, but we had a huge guest list, so we needed a big place."

"I remember," said Clover. "Your parents must have known half the state."

"I know. Half of them I hadn't seen since I was a baby."

"Speaking of which, are you and Mark…you know…" Clover clicked her tongue twice.

Alex blushed and giggled. "No, not yet! Mark says we should have a house of our own before we commit to a kid. The apartment's nice, but it's no place to start a family."

"So what place would you suggest for the reception?" asked Sam.

Alex returned to the original line of conversation. "Hmm…I remember we checked out this one place that would have been perfect, but it was too small. It's called the Pacific Reach. It's right on the beach, and they've got a big courtyard if you want to hold the reception outdoors, and the ballroom would be perfect for your size guest list."

Sam opened her PDA and scribbled a note. "Pacific Reach. Okay, we'll check it out as soon as we can."

"Anything else you need to know?"

"Not that I can think of right now."

"Okay, then. I'm just a phone call away if you need me."

"Funny that I'm coming to you as a fount of wisdom."

"Ain't it, though?"

Sam turned to Clover. "Have you and the bridesmaids picked out dresses yet?"

Clover looked up from the last scraps of her lunch. "No, not yet. I've been to busy with the talent agency and all."

"I see." She took another sip from her tea. "By the way, who was the guy who took over WOOHP after Jerry retired?"

Clover searched her memory. "Umm…oh yeah, it was Henry. Henry Bradford."

"Ah, I thought so. Just wasn't sure."

"Why, have you spoken to him?"

"No, I just saw the WOOHP building on my way over here and found myself thinking back to those days."

"I was just thinking about that this morning myself," said Clover.

"Huh, me too," said Alex.

"I guess a little part of WOOHP will always be with us."

"How could it not?" said Clover. "We saved the world more times than I can count, got to travel all over the world, faced some of the nastiest people on the planet, and met some of the most gorgeous guys alive. How could I ever forget?"

"Life without WOOHP sure is mundane," Alex commented. "Now all we have to worry about is keeping our apartments clean and working on our careers. Now we just let other people keep the world safe." She paused. "Hey, does anyone know who Henry's spies are these days?"

"How should I know?" said Sam. "He's got hundreds of 'em."

"No, I meant our replacements. What three girls does he have working for him right now?"

Sam pondered her question. "Well, the last time I met him was three years ago, right after I graduated. He had some girls working for him then, but I can't remember their names anymore." She paused. "Actually, the last time I went to WOOHP, they had actually disbanded that unit and were relying on just their field agents."

"So he doesn't have a dream team working for him?"

"Not as far as I know. The world has really calmed down a lot since our days at WOOHP. I'm really not surprised they did away with the dream teams."

"Huh, that's interesting."

"So I guess he'll just recruit some new spies if things start heating up again? " said Clover.

"I suppose so, but let's hope that's not necessary. WOOHP has grown a lot since we were there."

"WOOHP had room to grow?"

Sam shrugged. "Apparently."

"But how? It was already a worldwide network. How could it get any bigger?"

"From what I've figured, their network is a lot more comprehensive these days. Way fewer blind spots. Maybe that's why the world is so much calmer these days."

"Korea aside." Alex interjected.

"True, true."

They all paused to sip at their drinks.

"So anyone know what Jerry's been up to lately?" asked Alex.

Sam looked up from her drink. "The last I heard, he was enjoying his retirement in the Caymans. Funny, I never saw Jerry as the type to retire."

Clover shrugged. "Happens to the best of us."

"Yeah, but Jerry? He was still in his prime!"

"That was almost ten years ago, Sammie."

"Yeah, but any guy who skydives out of a jet just to pick up his suit from the cleaners at his age certainly has a lot of spunk left."

"I imagine running an organization like WOOHP takes a lot out of you," said Alex.

Sam was reminded of her own boss. "You know, my boss is in a similar position. He's in his 50's, founder and head of a huge multinational entity, and still sharp as ever. I can't see him retiring anytime soon, but who knows where he'll be in the next ten years?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah, one of the doctors I work with is about the same age. I see no signs of him slowing down."

Clover shrugged. "Well, I don't work with very many old people, so I can't really have a say in this, can I?"

"Probably not."

"O-kay, then."

They finished their drinks and pushed the cups away. Alex checked her watch and sighed.

"Well, I guess I should head back to the office. I promised to help a coworker with one of his patients before mine shows up."

"And I've got some phone calls to make," said Clover. She turned to Sam. "So what do you have planned?"

"Not much, really. I did want to get some shopping done this afternoon, then maybe rent a movie. But shopping's just not the same without you guys there."

"I know," said Alex. "I keep looking over my shoulder for you two when I go, but then I remember you're not there."

"We should make a shopping trip together!" Clover declared. "Mandy's got great taste, but I miss cruising the mall with you guys."

"I hear that," said Sam as she started to get up. "Alright then, let's make it a date. The three of us: all day shopping spree. How about it?"

"Just give me the day and I'll be there!" said Alex.

"Me too," said Clover.

"Okay! I'll call you guys with the day, and you'd better clear your schedules."

"No complaints here."

"Or here."

"Great!"

They rose from the table and went inside to pay their tabs. They left the café and stood in front of the door for a while, not quite ready to split up just yet. Alex looked half-heartedly to her car and took a deep breath.

"Well, I guess I'll see you two later."

"Yeah," said Sam. "Bye Alex." They kissed each other on the cheek and embraced. Alex reluctantly broke the embrace before repeating the gesture to Clover and broke away from her even more reluctantly. She strode away from them and headed to her car. Now it was just Sam and Clover on the patio. They watched Alex go, not saying a word until her car had vanished from sight.

"All in all Sammie, I enjoy my life, I really do. Sure the marital situation sucks and the agency is hard work, but overall, I have a good life."

"Are you getting at something?"

"It's just that…I miss you guys. I know things will never be like in the old days. That's just wishful thinking and totally naïve. But I do wish I could to see you guys more often than I do. All I really want is to be able to see you on a regular basis, is all. Even once a month would be good."

"Yeah." Sam turned to Clover. "It's okay. I'm not about to forget about you guys, not even for Brad's sake. That just wouldn't be right."

"No, it wouldn't." She adjusted the strap on her purse and stuffed her cigarettes back inside. "Well, see you around, Sam."

"See you Clover." They hugged and kissed one another on the cheek. "Take care of yourself, and Mandy, too."

"You too, Sammie." Clover walked to her car, leaving Sam alone on the patio. She took a deep breath and walked to her car.

_Such a shame,_ she thought, _that time should be so harsh on our beloved friendships. It feels like I'm in another world._


	3. Chapter Three

** Chapter Three**

Mark was listening to the news station as he pulled into the apartment complex's parking lot. It never ceased to amuse him that, as an Air Force information specialist, all he ever listened to in the car was the news. Except when Alex was riding with him. Then she had total control over the radio. The news broadcast was covering a topic that he'd been keenly interested in for some time.

"Tensions remain high in Korea today," said the announcer, "as talks between North and South Korean leaders resumed after a third recess. Despite their best efforts to remain civil, it is obvious that there is no love loss between the two sides after last month's violent skirmish at the border that left forty dead and over a hundred wounded from either side. The battle occurred just days before the two countries were to sign a historic trade agreement, marking the first time any country has ever offered free aide to the communist nation in decades. Some believed that this would signal the beginning of the end for North Korea's communist regime, which remains a human rights nightmare."

"The timing of the battle has raised many an eyebrow, leading many to believe that terrorists from one side or the other incited the incident in order to prevent the signing of the trade agreement. Both sides have considered this option while at the same time accusing one another of perpetrating the act. Kim Jong Il, the aged president of North Korea, has repeatedly threatened to make good on his promise to turn Seoul into a "sea of flames" should he discover that South Korean agents were responsible for the skirmish. These threats have not been taken lightly by the South Korean government, which views his threats as very real. "

"These threats have alarmed many South Koreans, leading to a widespread migration from the country's capital. Those that remain are confident that nothing will come of Kim's threats, but are nervous all the same."

A man speaking rapidly in Korean came on, and was quickly dubbed over in English. "Yes, I am afraid. We all know the danger is very real, as we are right next door to North Korea. But all the same, I am confident that our leaders know what they are doing. We are a peaceful people, and do not wish to harm our fellow Koreans."

The announcer continued. "The U.N. offered to mediate the talks, but Kim Jong Il refused, saying that the United Nations has never had his country's best interests in mind, and does not believe they will now, either. Instead, he agreed to let WOOHP president Henry Bradford mediate the talks, citing the humanitarian organization's history of impartial aid. Bradford was hand picked by WOOHP's founder Jerry Lewis to succeed him upon his retirement. Bradford has said little to the Associated Press since the talks began, other than he 'has his hands full.'"

Mark pulled into a parking space below the apartment and turned the car off. He checked his watch and swore. The traffic jam had made him an entire hour late. Not that Alex would be back by now, but he still just wanted to collapse on his own bed and sleep the last two weeks off.

He got out of the car and walked up the stairs to the apartment. He got his key ready as he approached the door and stopped. The door had been left open just a crack. Mark put his keys away and eased the door open to keep it from squeaking. The apartment was dark and looked empty, but he had the distinct feeling that someone else was inside. He crept through the living room and started reaching for the phone on the desk. Suddenly, a shadowy figure leaped out of a corner and grabbed him. The attacker left him no time to react as the assailant tackled Mark to the floor, straddled him and pinned his shoulders to the floor. His heart was beating rapidly, and it sped up when he recognized a certain brown devil straddling him and smiling.

"You're home early."

"My patient cancelled. You're late." Alex leaned over and kissed him greedily. She eventually broke the kiss long enough to let him say, "Traffic was killer" before kissing him even more deeply.

When she finally stopped, they sat still for a moment, gazing into one another's eyes. Alex slowly leaned forward and kissed him again, tenderly and slowly this time, exploring his lips and mouth with hers, and he likewise. They inhaled each other's scent, reveling in their closeness and the bond their mouths formed between their bodies. Eventually she broke the kiss and smiled at him from an inch away.

"I missed you," she said softly.

"I missed you." They gazed into each other's eyes for a while. "Think you could let me up?"

"I like it right here."

"The door's open, you know."

"So? We're adults. They know what to expect from us."

"Point, but not everyone's a voyeur."

"So you want up?"

"Please?"

"Password!"

Mark paused. "I love you."

Alex planted another gentle kiss on his lips. "Correct."

She got off of her husband and went to fix some coffee. Mark got up and closed the door. He returned to the kitchen and sat down at the bar, admiring his wife. Alex wasn't wearing much more than a pair of biker shorts and a tank top. Though Mark would never let her out in public like that, the clothes did accentuate her trim athletic figure, honed by frequent exercise and endangered by a love of sweets. Alex turned around with a pair of steaming mugs and handed one to Mark as she sat on the counter.

"So your patient cancelled?" asked Mark.

"Mm-hmm. They do that sometimes. Not very often, though."

"Isn't it a bad idea to scrap a therapy session?"

"Well he didn't cancel so much as reschedule. Someone else offered to take him for me, so I got to come home early today." Alex took a draught from her mug. "So how was your work?"

"You know I'm not at liberty to say."

"Come on, we can't have secrets in this marriage."

"We can when Uncle Sam tells us to."

"Well Uncle Sam doesn't think too much of marriage, does he?"

"No, he doesn't." Mark took a draught. "What I can tell you is that I read a lot of maps, drew a few more, and rode in a few planes. That's about it."

Alex pouted. "I hate these assignments of yours. Man and wife shouldn't have to keep things from each other."

"Like your work with WOOHP?"

Alex froze. She stared at Mark for a second and then smiled coyly. "Ah-heh, I guess I have my share of secrets to keep, don't I?"

"Mm-hmm. But sometimes finding out those secrets can be fun, right?"

"Or destroy a perfectly good marriage."

"Or that."

They sat in silence as they enjoyed the coffee. They allowed their looks to one another carry on the conversation. Alex considered her husband. They met during their senior year in college. Mark was on an Air Force ROTC scholarship, studying for an Information Systems degree and minoring in Communications. Alex was getting her degree in Physical Therapy and enjoying her last days in college. They had met because of one of Mark's fraternity activities, and they clicked right away. They shared lunch a few times, went to a dance or two at Mark's fraternity, and soon went into regular dating. Eventually they had a harder and harder time staying apart for long periods of time. They were constantly together whenever they could manage, and a year and a half after graduating, Alex accepted Mark's proposal, just days before he got deployed again. If there was one thing Alex wished she had power over, it was Mark's dedication to the service. His frequent calls of duty made life at home a real drag, and the bed very lonely.

But when he was home, Mark gave 110 to their marriage. He was very creative with romantic ideas. Even clichéd tricks like rose petals leading to the bedroom he added little personal flairs to that made them seem special. He also had a great sense of humor, which leavened even difficult times like when it seemed like ends wouldn't meet. Alex always knew Mark was a huge catch, and was glad she'd hooked him. She only wished Clover could find a guy even half as great as Mark.

That's when Alex remembered how things changed between her and Clover after meeting Mark. At first it had no major effect on their relationship, but then things started getting serious. Alex began turning down more and more of Clover's invitations. She visited Clover less, called her less frequently, and saw her less often as she buckled down for her final projects. She never realized just how precarious their friendship had become until one night, while studying for her last final, Clover barged into her apartment and sat down at the table, sobbing her eyes out. Alex remembered the running makeup, bloodshot eyes and unkempt hair all too well.

She asked what was wrong, and Clover informed her that she'd just had a terrible breakup with a guy she really liked.

Alex consoled her and told her that Clover needn't worry. There was some lucky guy for her, just biding his time and looking for a girl like Clover.

Then Clover looked up and stared angrily into Alex's eyes. She cut loose on Alex, venting her frustrations about everything; school, boys, professors, money, and finally, Alex. She told Alex flat out what she felt like every time she'd turned down an invitation or failed to return a call. She accused Alex of being a false friend, and offered her a knife so at least she'd know if Alex really was a friend or not. She accused Alex of a lot of things, mostly involving ignoring her longtime friend in favor of her new boyfriend. She even touched on Sam in that rant, mentioning the dwindling number of emails from their friend and the shrinking content of each one. She finished her tirade with a long summary of her feelings toward Alex, and then cupped her face in her hands and cried.

Alex looked at her notes, closed the book, and went to the other side of the table with Clover. She embraced her childhood friend and cried with her, repeatedly asking her forgiveness. It was then the two of them first realized that things were changing between them. They wept at the fact that there was nothing they could do about it. The worst super villains in the world had failed to harm their relationships in every way. But the one foe they could not stop, the one who had done more damage to their precious friendship than every weapon in the world, was time.

Mark noticed the melancholy sweeping over his wife's face and became concerned.

"Is something wrong?"

Alex emerged from her flashback and flashed him a weak smile. "No, just remembering back to when we first started dating."

"What about it?"  
"I just remembered what our relationship was doing to the one I had with Clover. While ours was taking off, Clover's and mine was crashing into the sea. It always makes me sad when I remember the moment we realized things were different from what they used to be."

Mark paused. "I think I remember that. I felt like such a heel."

"Yeah. But, I couldn't help it. We were falling in love, and I wanted our relationship to work so bad, I just lost track of my friendship with Clover and Sam."

Mark took a sip of his coffee. "Don't let me cause the end of your friendships, Alex. I do love you, and the last thing I'd want is you forsaking your friends for my sake."

"Really?"

"I only want what's best for you."

Alex leaned over the counter and kissed him. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Alex got off the counter and went to clean her mug. Mark gazed at her adoringly. He always considered himself a patron of the artst, and he admired the graceful curves of Alex's body like an artist studying a beautiful portrait. Alex, of course, was well aware of Mark's gaze, and didn't mind one bit. The more he stared at her, the less he stared at other women. Another reason to stay in good shape.

"So how are Sam and Clover?" he asked as he handed her his mug.

"Mostly okay. Sam's getting married, Clover's still single. Sam's career is taking off, Clover's is off to a rough start." She finished cleaning the mugs and hung them to dry. "It's so weird. Clover was like, the most popular girl in high school, and she was so sociable all through college, and now she just seems to get shafted at every turn."

"I wouldn't go that far," said Mark. "She's starting her own business in an extremely competitive market. That takes a lot of guts and hard work. Has she gotten any of her clients signed?"

"Yeah, they get regular work, but nothing major. She and Mandy seem to be banking their hopes on a couple of people they recently found."

"See? She's had some success. She's not going to be a superstar right away. She'll have to work hard to get anywhere in Hollywood."

"And how would you know?"

"I have some friends in the industry. Hey, maybe Clover could use them as contacts?"

Alex thought about it. "Maybe. I'm not real sure about the little details of her business. If you write them down, I could get them to her next time I see her."

"I'll do that. A friend of yours is a friend of mine."

"Thanks. I'm sure she'll appreciate it." Alex walked into the living room and sank into the couch, an expensive piece of furniture her mom gave them as a wedding gift, but it was already worn-out from their frequent romping across the cushions. Mark followed her and sat beside her, draping an arm across her shoulders and holding her close. Alex rested her head on his shoulder and then looked up at him. "Could you take your shirt off? I hate the way that starchy thing feels."

"Sure." Mark unbuttoned his sky blue uniform shirt and tossed it onto the recliner. Alex rested her head on his shoulder again and said, "thanks."

Mark kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome."

They held each other and stared out the window for a few minutes. Mark was exhausted. He wanted to tell Alex all about it, but he was under orders. Alex could guess what kind of work he did on his assignments as she had experience with his kind of work herself, so she didn't bother asking. Whatever Mark did when on duty was probably mundane compared to what she'd done during her time with WOOHP. She simply snuggled closer to her husband, and he responded by stroking her shoulder with his fingers, which raised goose bumps all down her back.

"So," he said, "you've told me about Clover. What's Sam up to?"

"Sam? She's just fine. She's got a wedding to plan, a career in the government to look forward to, a really nice pad, what doesn't she have?" She paused a moment. "Do you know her fiancée, Brad?"

Mark searched his memory. "No, I don't think we've met."

"You should. He's a pretty nice guy."

"Pretty nice?"

"Well, I don't know if Sam notices as much, but I think he's pretty bossy. He's very demanding, expects a lot out of people, even Sam."

"You don't think Sam can meet his expectations?"

"No, I think she can pass with flying colors. I just wonder what it means for him down the road."

"You mean what it means for _her_ down the road?"

"Yeah, I guess. I just don't want Sammie to end up unhappy."

"No one wants his or her best friends to end up like that."

"No." She paused with the next sentence hanging on the edge of her throat. She was having trouble communicating her worries properly. "The thing that gets me is, we've all known each other since we were kids, but now we're drifting away from each other faster and faster. The worst part is, I can't think of a single thing to stop it."

"You've always said Sam was the smart one. Did she have any ideas?"

"She suggested a shopping date, but I get the feeling that's like using a log to divert a river. It's a valiant effort, but can't stop the inevitable."

"Friendships are hard work, just like marriage. God knows we've both been working our butts off on ours."

"No kidding. And your commitment to the Air Force only makes it harder. Can't you just quit?"

"My country needs me."

"I need you."

Mark planted a kiss on her forehead. "We can make it work. We've done pretty good so far."

"Yeah, but, we've only been married a little less than two years. What about the next two? Ten? Or twenty?"

Mark gazed into Alex's eyes. "When we got married, I swore to love, honor, and support you, through sickness, health, plenty, and want until death in front of every single one of my friends and family and yours. I am not going to break that vow. If I have to quit the Air Force to protect this marriage, I'll do that. But I am also a loyal soldier. I swore to protect this nation, and I'll do that, too."

"So if it came down to your nation or me, which would you choose?"

"We've been over this already, Alex."

"Answer me!"

Mark smiled. "You, of course."

"Then quit."

"You know I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because by protecting this nation, I protect you."

Alex edged closer into him. "I feel safer when you're home."

"Me, too."

Alex looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"I can't really describe exactly how I feel, but when I'm home with you, I do feel safer. It's like…I don't know, do you understand?"

"Mmm." They settled into one another. Mark stroked Alex's shoulder, causing goose bumps to rise again. Alex cuddled with her husband, and his heart beat faster.

"So, you want to do anything tonight? I'm not expecting any deployment anytime soon."

Alex slowly shook her head. "Tomorrow night. Right now, I just want you right here, with me."

"Good. I didn't really want to do anything anyway."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"Because I thought you might want to do something for my homecoming."

"Thanks for the thought, but you were mistaken."

Mark shrugged. "Oh well."

They sat silently beside each other for some time, not noticing how much time was passing, and not caring, only the diminishing sunlight tell them the passage of time.

"You know what the worst part of your deployments is?" asked Alex.

"What?"

"The loneliness. This place feels empty when you're not around."

"I'll bet. I feel the same way when I'm away."

"But you know where it's really lonely?"

"Where?"

Alex shuffled around and sat on his lap. She draped her arms around Mark's neck and hovered inches from his face. "I think you know where."

Mark grinned and scooped her up as he stood and they kissed again. Alex giggled excitedly as Mark carried her to the bedroom.

* * *

Clover returned to the apartment and found Mandy reclining on the couch and watching audition tapes. Mandy looked back and waved to her.

"Hey, Clover. Did you have fun with your friends?"

"Yeah, we had a good time." She paused to watch a young woman perform a passionate, though amateur recreation of one of Goneril's scenes from _King Lear_. "She's not half bad."

"Yeah, this is like the fourth time I've watched her. I can't decide if we should try to pick her up."

"Can we afford not to?"

"I guess you're right. She's got talent, she just needs experience."

"What's her name?"

"I can't remember. It's on the tape."

Clover shrugged. "Okay." She tossed her keys on the counter and sat down at the computer. "Did you check the emails yet?"

"No, I just got up. I've been watching these tapes for an hour." She indicated two stacks of tapes beside the television. The one on the right was for people to call, and the other was for rejects. The left stack was far taller than the right stack.

Clover turned to the computer and opened her email program. As usual, the inbox was overflowing. Over the years, she had trained herself to instantly recognize spam at a glance. She quickly scanned the inbox and marked all the spam messages and deleted them. The window refreshed and she was left with a much smaller inbox. The messages were from her newsletters, friends and family, iTunes, and most importantly, their clients. First she checked the newsletters. They were from various magazines and companies they kept in touch with, important for grasping any edge they could find. Clover and Mandy had named their business Pathway Talent, but the viciousness with which they devoured information had earned them the nickname Lioness from their competitors. But just like their feline namesake, they often went for long periods of time without any significant business, living off whatever they could dig up at length until they finally got a major hit. When that happened, they lived like queens.

Clover scanned every newsletter. She only found a few significant things, and they were nothing she hadn't already learned the previous day. She saved the letters into their respective folders and deleted them from the inbox. She then moved to the clients. Most of them consisted of three types of emails:

Any news on that part?

Thank you so much!

I need work!

The rest were asking about nitpicky contract details, payments, contact information changes, and occasionally a date from Clover or Mandy. Clover responded to each client in kind, flipping through her checkbook and consulting logbooks and address books and sometimes Mandy to answer each client's questions. To the ones asking for dates, she politely informed them that she and Mandy were already seeing someone, but thanked them for the offers.

Next, she checked the friends and family. She left Mandy's alone as she went through hers. The messages were as varied as the people they were from. Her brother was entering his Sophomore year in college, her mother was overly-worried as ever, her friends from college had all sorts of good tidings, woes and worries, and good wishes for her enterprise. Clover responded to each message, and by the time she was finished, Mandy had finished two more audition tapes.

"Well, anything important?" she asked.

"No, not really. I left your messages for you to read."

"Thanks." She ejected the tape and stacked it on the right pile. She went to the kitchen and mixed herself a Coke & Rum. "Want any?"

"Sure."

Mandy mixed one for Clover and handed it to her as she walked back to the couch. She started to reach for another audition tape, but decided she'd had enough of that.

"You know, Clover, sometimes I wonder why we started this business. I thought we both wanted to be actresses?"

Clover thought for a second. "Because we're better at spotting talent than being talent?"

"Oh, don't give me that! I've seen you act, and you're pretty good!"

"I guess…it just sort of happened during my theater classes. I just developed a real knack for spotting and developing potential in others. After I graduated, I started feeling like what I wanted use my expertise to help others hit it big."

"Huh, I remember you stopped going out for auditions before you got involved in my business."

"Trust me, you needed all the help you could get."

"What? I can run this thing with one hand behind my back! I never needed your help. I just let you on because you're my roommate and you needed some work!"

"Oh really? Well for your information, I don't need, nor will I ever need, your help to be successful, Mandy."

"Tch, as if. If it weren't for my business sense, this thing would never have gotten off the ground."

"And if it weren't for my eye for talent, this thing would already be dead."

"Touché, Clover."

Clover sat down on the couch next to Mandy. "Any more tapes?"

"Yeah, a few. But I just wanna watch TV now."

"Sounds good to me."

Mandy turned the TV on and Clover fished a cigarette out of her purse. Mandy popped one out of her box and Clover lit both of them. They took a drag on their cigarettes and exhaled simultaneously while Mandy flipped around until she found a half-decent drama on a movie station.

"By the way," said Mandy, "Roland called today."

"He did? What did he want?"

"Just to say he had a great time the other night, and wants to know if you're available next Friday."

Clover shrugged. "You know I always am."

"Good, because that's what I told him."

"Guess I should call him soon, then."

"Ya think?" Mandy noticed the lack of enthusiasm in Clover's voice. "Something the matter?"

She sighed. "Wedding bell blues."

"Oh yeah, Sam's getting married isn't she?"

"Yeah. I'm the maid of honor."

"Poor Clover. The only one without a man of her own."

"Shut up, Mandy."

Mandy cackled and snorted. She still hadn't grown out of that annoying laugh, even after all this time.

"Oh lighten up, Clover. Roland seems like a nice enough guy."

"Yeah, but we've only been on one date."

"So you're telling me you're not interested?"

"No!"

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I can't tell if he's Mr. Right from one little date. Heck, we didn't even smooch."

Mandy eyed Clover as she finished her drink. "You've changed, Clover."

"Thank you for stating the obvious."

The lights flickered and they both looked up curiously.

"You did pay the utilities, didn't you?" asked Mandy.

"Yes."

"Okay, just checking."

They puffed on their cigarettes as they watched the movie. Mandy smoked a heavier brand, which produced a thick, heavy smoke that sagged under its own weight and curled slowly through the air, exploring it with its gray, wispy fingers.

Clover smoked a lighter brand, whose smoke quickly rose from her lips. It extended its tendrils through the air, clawing its way to the ceiling before losing itself in the currents of the air.

Clover and Mandy each took one last drag on their cigarettes and extinguished them on the ashtray. They focused their attentions on the movie while the light outside began waning.

"So what did you do all afternoon?" asked Mandy.

"I stopped by the office, made a few phone calls, went over some contracts, you know, the usual stuff."

"I see. Did you get in touch with Greg and Isabelle?"

"Yeah. I gave them some roles they'll want to check out."

"What kinds of roles?"

"Suitable ones."

Mandy raised an eyebrow. "Okay, whatever. Any of them big parts?"

"The only ones with any real potential are supporting roles. Personally, I think Greg has the best shot."

"Well, I suppose an Oscar for best supporting actor is better than nothing."

"Yeah, I guess."

They watched the rest of the movie in silence. Eventually it faded on the last scene and the credits rolled. Mandy changed the channel and started searching for something else. The light coming through the windows began dwindling, and was soon replaced with the artificial glow of the streetlights outside. Clover sighed heavily, an act that annoyed Mandy to no end, but she had learned that it usually meant something was weighing on Clover's mind.

"Alright, what is it now?"

"Nothing."

"No it's not. I know what that sigh means. Spill it."

Clover shifted in her seat. "Do you ever get the feeling that you'll never find 'the one?'"

Mandy snorted. "Is that all? Clover, I don't know what happened to you, but you give up way to easy, girl. If you give up trying, you'll never find the one. It's as simple as that."

"Yeah, but I can't help thinking-"

"Then stop thinking and just do it! Sure I've got a majorly bad track record myself, but that's only because I don't quit."

"You also view guys as trophies and dispose of them as soon as they get a little tarnish."

"So what if I have high standards? I deserve a good man."

"You also have zero patience with them."

"Hey, I'm looking at the big three-oh in just a few years. If something doesn't happen soon then I might as well join a convent."

Clover raised an eyebrow. "You? A convent?" She laughed aloud.

"What? You don't think I'm a good person?"

"Well that's putting it lightly."

Mandy fumed. "That's it! Next time I have John over, I'm hiding your earplugs!"

Clover became serious. "Okay, that's just not funny."

"It will be when I have the satisfaction of keeping you up all night."

Clover faced her like an angry lioness. "Touch those earplugs and I'm letting John know about your gray hairs!"

Mandy gasped and backed up. "You wouldn't."

"Try me!"

Mandy and Clover grappled each other and prepared to fight each other to the death. Then their cell phones went off. They held onto each other with one hand and answered their phones with the other and answered simultaneously.

"Hello? Oh, hi mom! No, we're just having a little disagreement! No, it's just a roommate thing. Yes, we've got plenty to eat. No, I'm not getting married yet; you'd be the first person I'd call. Yes, the agency is doing fine. We're kind of busy right now, could you call back in a few minutes? Okay, bye!"

They closed their cell phones and tossed them aside before resuming their grapples.

"Okay, where were we?" asked Mandy.

"We were about to vent on each other in a physical manner."

"Bring it."

Clover and Mandy tossed each other over the back of the couch. Their wrestling took them all over the apartment, knocking over anything that wasn't nailed down. They wrestled with each other for several minutes, not actually trying to hurt each other, but trying to pin each other and force a concession. The phone rang and Clover fought Mandy to the desk reached up to grab the receiver.

"Hello? Roland, hi! How are you? Look, I'm kind of…busy right now could you call back in a sec? Okay, thanks, sweetie!" She hung up the phone and Mandy asked, "What, is Roland breaking up with you already?"

"Oh, you are so going to die!"

"Nyahahahaha!"

Clover lunged at Mandy and tackled her to the floor. In a surprising display of agility, Mandy slipped out of Clover's grasp before she could be pinned and twisted around Clover to put her in a Half Nelson.

"Take…it…back!" she ordered as Clover fought to get out of her lock.

"Never!"

"Then say goodbye to your earplugs! I think I'll take your iPod, too!"

"Okay, now you're asking for it!"

Clover arched her back and put her years of yoga practice and age-old spy training to use. She back flipped over Mandy's head, wrenching free of her lock and landing behind her. Clover grabbed the surprised Mandy by the shoulders and threw her to the floor and pinned her down.

"Give…up!"

Mandy struggled. "Never!"

"I'm reaching for your cell phone right now!"  
A single drop of sweat ran down Mandy's face. "Alright! I give up! Mercy! Uncle!"

Clover released Mandy, who sat up and rubbed her sore shoulders. Clover smiled triumphantly and Mandy reached over the couch to grab and pocket her cell phone.

"Well, maybe I'll go over to John's place instead."

"Hmph, as if. I've been to your boyfriend's place. It's a pig sty."

"Well maybe I won't then! Maybe I'll just sit around here like a bum again!"

"Ha!" Clover got up and jumped over the back of the couch and landed on the cushions. She grabbed the remote as Mandy came around and started channel surfing.

"Hey, your cronies coming over tonight?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I want to play with you guys."

"Play with us? I thought you didn't play poker?"

"Only Texas Hold 'Em."

"Well why didn't you say anything? We can play that."

"Really?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Thanks."

Clover surfed around a bit before settling on an old comedy. They watched it for a few minutes and found it to be a good comedy as they chuckled at the frequent and clever punch lines.

"So, you doing anything tomorrow?" asked Clover.

"No, why?"  
"I just need to get out and do something. Something different. This routine is eating me alive."

Mandy thought for a moment. "Well, I can't think of anything right now, but I'll think about it."

"Yeah, we've got 'till tomorrow."

The last sunlight faded from the windows, replaced by the luminescence of the streetlights and backed by the velvet darkness of the night.


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Day begot night, night begot day, and day begot night once again.

Sam and Brad entered the restaurant arm-in-arm. Sam was wearing an expensive black dress than bared her shoulders and hung down to her ankles, splitting right at the knees to show off her calves and ankles, yet hide the rest of her legs behind a black veil. A string of pearls graced her slender neck and a pair of gold earrings dangled from under her auburn mane and shimmered in the lights.

Brad was also looking particularly debonair in an old, but still classy Armani. His suit hid the contours of his body, giving him a solid, stable appearance as he walked beside the willowy Sam. He seemed to borrow a bit of Sam's sensual glow as they entered, turning several heads as they approached the front desk. The Maitre D' looked up from his guestbook and flashed them a professional but friendly smile.

"May I help you?"

"Party of two. LeCheau," said Brad.

The Maitre D' flipped through the guestbook and ran his finger down a page and found their name.

"Oh, Brad! I didn't recognize you!"

Brad smiled. "I shaved my beard off."

"Well pardon me! Come on in, your table's all ready."

"Thank you, Sean." He turned to Sam. "Shall we?"

Sam held him a little closer. "Please!"

They strode into the dining room and followed the Maitre D' past the main dining room into an anteroom. The room was dimly lit, mostly by the candles that flickered on the four small, elegantly set tables. The tables each occupied a corner of the room, spaced just far enough from each other so that the customers wouldn't be able to disturb one another with hushed conversation. Two of the tables were yet unoccupied, and the Maitre D' led them to the table on the right side of the curtained window. Brad pulled the chair out for Sam before seating himself.

"Enjoy your evening," said the Maitre D' as he handed them menus. "Your waiter will be right out."

"Thank you Sean," said Sam.

"Don't mention it, ma'am." Sean went back to the front desk and left Brad and Sam by themselves. They opened their menus and began glancing over the selections, but they really only had eyes for each other.

"So," began Sam, "How is work?"

"Busy, but productive. Care to hear the boring details?"

"Nothing about you is boring."

Brad smirked. "Well, I've actually been assigned as a consultant on the budget committee in the legislature."

Sam gawked. "Brad that…that's amazing! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, it came as a total shock to me. I was going through my daily assignments, and this big envelope from the state was in the stack. Lo and behold, I've got a new project for the rest of the year."

"That's wonderful! When do you start?"

"Not for a few months."

Sam's face darkened a shade. "Not during our honeymoon, I hope?"

Brad snorted. "No, it's not until after the summer. I'd be liable to kill someone if it interfered with our wedding plans."

Sam's face brightened back up. "Good!"

The waiter approached the table. "Good evening. My name is Adrian, and I'll be your waiter tonight. Can I start you off with an appetizer or some wine?"

"Wine would be good. Is that all right, Sammie?"

Sam nodded. "Sure."

Brad ordered the wine and the waiter trotted off to retrieve the order. They went back to looking over the menus, but once again found themselves staring into each other's eyes.

Brad was a handsome man. Tall, well-built, and blonde with the darkest of brown eyes. His charming, warm smile lit up his face as he gazed upon Sam, and she blushed heavily in response.

"What?"

"It's nothing. That smile always gets me."

"What, you mean like this?" He flashed the smile again, and Sam had to fight to keep from bursting with laughter.

"You're too modest, Sam. Are you going to be like this after we're married, too?"

Sam threw him an indignant look. "No! I just want this wedding to be special, that's all."

Brad studied her a moment. "Is that why you won't sleep with me until after we're married?"

Sam flustered and quickly regained her composure. "More or less, yeah. Why?"

"Well it's just that, well, marriage isn't all about mutual interests and shared feelings."

Sam giggled. "I know that! But, it's not just the wedding, it's you. I want you to be special, too. I want to hear you vow never to sleep with another woman except me."

Brad took her hand. "I vow never to-"

Sam withdrew her hand and cut him off. "I meant at the wedding. In an official ceremony."

Brad shrugged. "Okay. Anything for my wife."

Sam blushed again.

"You still haven't gotten over that, have you?"

"Nope."

Brad chuckled. "Sam, you're one in a million. And I love you for it."

"I love you too."

The waiter returned with a bottle of wine. He filled their glasses and left the bottle for them.

Sam put the glass to her lips and tilted the liquid to her lips. The ruby-red wine seamlessly blended with her lips, entering her mouth and bubbling across her tongue and splashing down her throat. Brad watched the brief scene in awe with his glass halfway to his own mouth. Sam noticed his stupefied gaze and looked puzzled.

"What?"

Brad came out of his petrified state and shook his head. "Ah, nothing, nothing. Just admiring the view!"

Sam smiled and chuckled. "And how is the view?"

"Magnificent."

Sam smiled appreciatively and set the glass down. She had something important to address, but decided to let it wait when the waiter reappeared.

"Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, please," said Brad. "Are you ready, Sam?"

Sam glanced at the menu and quickly chose something expensive before closing the menu. "Yes."

They told the waiter what they wanted, and the waiter left them alone. Together. Brad took Sam's hand and held it up, gazing appreciatively at her ring. His eyes moved up away from the sapphire and diamond setting to a pair of emerald jewels looking at him. His eyes locked on those jewels, and he was overcome with the desire to take them and make those jewels his own. But for now, they belonged to another person, a person whom he loved. A person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"Sam, are you happy?"

Sam took his hands in hers. "What kind of question is that? Of course I am."

"If you have any doubts about our marriage, anything at all, I want you to tell me right now, before it's too late to fix it."

Sam hesitated. She did have a doubt. A very big one. One that could affect both of them. She started wondering if it was her own selfishness that brought it about, or if it was a genuine concern. She remembered Clover's words from yesterday.

Sam faintly noticed another couple enter the room and be seated. They spoke in hushed tones like everyone else, but Sam could faintly hear what they were saying.

First the woman spoke. "Are you sure it's alright to come here? This place is awful expensive."

"What, you think we can't afford it?" answered the man.

"No, but this does seem kinda lavish for you. Last I checked, spaghetti was your idea of a romantic dinner."

"Hey, that's low!"

"I'm serious!"

"Come on, is this not good enough for the woman I love?"

"No, it's just, well, more than I expected."

"Do you like it?"

She paused. "I love it. Thank you."

Sam peered around Brad's head and spotted Alex and Mark sitting at the other table. Alex's back was to her, but Mark looked up and spotted Sam. It took him a moment to recognize her in the dim lighting, but when he did, he waved and said, "Hey Sam!"

Alex turned around in her chair. "Sammie! What are you doing here?" She wore a pink dress, embroidered in black around her neck, waist, and the hem of her skirt. While not as showy as Sam's dress, it did emphasize Alex's playful maturity and relative innocence. Sam saw a lot of the Alex she knew in high school in that dress, and the memories it evoked warmed her heart. Mark wore his Air Force uniform, a plain and serious outfit that contrasted with the romantic atmosphere of the restaurant.

Brad turned around and faced them. "She's with me, of course!"

"Oh hey Brad!"

Mark studied Brad for a moment. Years of interpreting map data had taught him to quickly memorize features, and within moments he had Brad's face memorized. "So this is the honorable Brad I've heard so much about. LeCheau, right?"

"Yep, that's me."

Mark looked at Sam. "And the soon-to-be honorable Mrs. LeCheau."

Sam beamed. "That's me!"

"And you are?"

"Oh, I'm Mark Burnham. It looks like you've already met my wife."

"Yes we have."

"Nice to meet you, Brad. Funny that we would both come to the same restaurant."

"Yeah, I know. Nice to meet you too, by the way."

"Much obliged."

Alex and Sam passed an "oh brother" look to each other. Boys will be boys. Alex coughed and turned to her husband. "Should we start with some wine, dear?"

"Oh, right." Mark looked to Brad and Sam. "I guess I should let you two get back to your dinner."

"Thank you Mark," said Sam. Brad turned back to her and smiled.

"Mark seems like a pretty nice guy. I noticed the Air Force uniform, is he a pilot?"

"No, he reads and interprets maps."

"Ah. What kinds of maps?"

"Weather maps, topography maps, street maps, any kind, really."

"Is he full-time?"

"Yeah, he works for a local division."

"Is he good?"

"Yes, unfortunately. He keeps getting called away on long assignments, leaving Alex all by herself at home."

"That can't be good for a marriage."

Sam thought for a moment. "Actually, they have a good marriage. They just have to make the best of the time they have together. They're such a cute couple. Always have been."

They sipped on their wine and looked out the window through the gossamer curtains. Alex and Mark were carrying on their conversations in much lower tones, so Sam couldn't really tell what they were saying. Judging by the way they held hands and the smile that never left Mark's face, they were enjoying each other.

"Sam?"

Sam looked at Brad. "Hmm?"

"You looked like you were getting ready to say something a few minutes ago. What was it?"

Sam averted her eyes, put on a brave face, and locked eyes with her fiancée. "I'm…not really sure I want to leave Los Angeles."

"What?"

"I'm just not sure I want to move to Sacramento. I feel like I'd abandon my friends here...and I don't want to do that."

Brad studied her for what felt like an age. "Sam, are you sure?"

"Mostly."

"The job with the Governor isn't a correspondence job. It's right in the Governor's office. If you can't live in Sacramento, you'll have to pass it up. Do you want that?"

Sam traced random patterns on the tablecloth with a finger. "I…don't know." She hesitated while she searched for the words. "I know this is important. I know that this job could open so many doors for me. But...if opening that door means forsaking my friends and letting our friendship wither and die, I don't think I can take it."

Brad studied his fiancée, his voice not wavering, not angry or happy, just wanting whatever would make Sam happiest, even if it did require missing major opportunities. "Do your friends mean that much to you?"

Sam nodded slowly.

"If you pass this up, I can't guarantee you'll see anything like it for a long time. Do you think you can deal with that?"

Sam hesitated.

"Is that what your friends mean to you? Would you let your career suffer for them?"

Sam nodded and spoke softly. "Yes. They mean that much to me and more."

Brad exhaled a long breath. He'd worked hard to get Sam that position. Now it looked like he'd have to let it all go to waste. Women! All emotion and no common sense! But he didn't really mind that much. If that's what it took to make his wife happy, then so be it.

"So this is what you want?"

Sam nodded slowly.

Brad smiled. "Alright, then. Thank you for being honest with me, Sam."

Sam replied softly. "You're welcome." She was aware of how much trouble Brad had gone through to get that position. She felt terrible for forcing him to flush it all down the drain. She also knew that it would take much more time and effort to get into such a position again. Opportunities like that didn't come every day. Were her friends worth all that?

Absolutely.

Alex overheard the conversation and Sam's answers. She closed her eyes and shed a joyful tear as she treasured Sam's words in her heart.

"Why are you crying?" asked Mark.

Alex opened her eyes and looked at her husband. "Because I'm so happy."

"About what?"

"Everything."

Mark smiled at Alex. "I'm glad."

"Me too."

The waiter arrived with their wine. He filled their glasses and departed with the bottle. Alex and Mark toasted their marriage and drank to their health. The golden glow of the wine contrasted sharply with Alex's brown skin as she tipped it to her lips. She parted her lips and allowed the pool of golden liquid to enter her mouth and dance across her tongue before cascading down the back of her throat. Mark and Alex finished their toast and set the glasses down. They leaned close to each other over the table so they could talk without anyone being able to hear.

"So," said Alex. "When are we having a baby?"

Mark's eyes sprang open at her bold question. "You know the answer to that. When we get a house."

"And when is that going to be?"

"Soon."

"How soon?"

"I can't say."

"Surely you've got an estimate?"

Mark pursed his lips. "Six months at best."

Alex frowned at first, and then smiled. "I think I can wait that long. Maybe."

"If we budget our money right, and our credit stays good, it will be six months. That's why we're about broke you know, saving up for the house."

"I know, and I don't mind. You're all that matters."

Mark did his Humphrey Bogart impersonation. "Same to you, sweetheart."

Alex giggled contentedly. Mark took her hands and held them. He stared into her eyes, and Alex stared back. For a moment, everyone else in the room vanished. The music faded away, the curtained window dissolved, and all that was left was the two of them, together in their own little universe. But in the background, barely visible, Alex could see Sam and Clover. They were always on her mind, even in her most intimate moments with Mark. She wondered sometimes if he noticed her distraction. As far as she could tell, he hadn't. Not yet anyway.

The waiter returned to take their orders, and the world materialized just as they had left it.

"Are you ready to order?" he asked.

Mark glanced at Alex, and she nodded. "Yes, we are." They ordered some moderately priced items and handed the menus to the waiter and he departed. Alex took another sip from her wine and looked at Mark seriously.

"Mark, I want you to quit the Air Force. I can't stand you not being around so much."

"I wish I could. I really do. But I have to serve my country. I'm no traitor."

"But why? Why can't they let you go? Surely there are plenty of people with your skills?"

Mark sighed and looked around. He lowered his voice to such a small whisper that Alex had to strain to hear him even in the quiet atmosphere of the restaurant.

"You know that situation in Korea? Well, that's sort of been my baby ever since we got married."

Alex nodded. "Go on."

"That's why I've been so busy lately. After the skirmish at the border, I've been working overtime monitoring the area. I can't tell you exactly what I've seen, but it's frightening. If things get really bad over there, we could be looking at a real war."

It took a few moments for Alex to digest what he just said. "So, you've been monitoring the situation over there?"

"Mm-hmm."

"And trying to prevent World War III?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Gosh." She paused. "If you're so important, then shouldn't you be getting sent off more often?"

"You'd think so, but the US only has a small force in the peninsula, so they're easy to take care of. However, we've had the entire Pacific fleet on alert in case things heat up over there."

Alex sank back in her seat. She mused on what he'd just said, and then grinned. "Just think, my husband is trying to save the world. I'd find it romantic if you weren't away so much."

"Well, I do my best."

"I think you're doing a wonderful job."

"You think so?"

"We're not at war yet, are we?"

"No, I guess not." He paused to admire Alex for a moment. "Do you still want me to quit?"

"Yes. But as long as you've still got important work to do, I'll live with it."

"When the chance comes, I will quit."

"And then what will you do? Somebody's got to bring home the bread. You know I won't be able to work as much after the baby's born."

"I can always teach full time at Beverly Hills CC. And there's always work to be found for a guy with my skills and experience if that doesn't work out."

"Reading maps? I thought we already mapped everything out?"

"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny. I take pride in my work!"

"I know you do."

Mark hesitated. There was something in Alex's voice that he couldn't quite catch. Something a little odd.

"What did you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, why?"

"Just checking."

* * *

Eventually, Sam and Brad's food arrived. Sam leaned over her plate and inhaled the pleasing aroma of her dish. "Mmm, smells delicious."

"Yeah, this place is really good," said Brad as he unrolled his utensils and placed his napkin in his lap.

"You've eaten here before?" asked Sam as she did the same.

"Yeah, a few times, with other women I've dated. I almost proposed to the last one I brought here."

"Almost?"

"Yeah, but I decided she wasn't the one."

"Well I'm glad you didn't. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met you."

"I know, and I'm glad I did, too."

They dug into their meals. Brad ate with the refined neatness of a WestPoint graduate, leaving not so much as a stray streak of sauce as he worked his way across the plate. Sam, on the other hand, was quite messy for her goddess-like appearance, taking large bites and scattering food across the plate haphazardly. Brad stopped and stared at his fiancée Sam took several more bites before she finally noticed Brad's eyes upon her. She looked up and with a mouth full of food asked, "What?"

Brad grinned with one side of his mouth and said, "Nothing." He made a mental note to invest heavily in cleaning supplies after they got married.

"Oh, by the way," said Sam between bites, "I've been thinking about the place we're having the reception."

"What about it?"

"I was talking with Alex yesterday, and she suggested a different place."

"Really? Where at?"

"Pacific Reach."

Brad rubbed his chin. "Yeah, I've been there before. Nice place. Although…"

Sam frowned. "You didn't make reservations already, did you?"

"No, no. It's just that Pacific Reach is a lot farther from the chapel."

"Yeah, but Alex said it's a lot more attractive at night, and there's an open courtyard we can use."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, I like the idea of a reception under moonlight. Tell you what, I'm free on Tuesday. Why don't we go check it out?"

Sam thought. "When? I can't get off until 5."

"That's fine, neither do I. I'll pick you up at your place around six."

"Sounds great."

Alex and Mark's food arrived piping hot. Alex clapped her hands and stared wide-eyed at the delicacies spread before her.

"Oh wow! This looks great!"

"I've heard this place is good, looks like I wasn't mistaken."

"You mean you've never eaten here before?"

"Nope. Couldn't ever afford it."

Alex sensed he was withholding something and raised an eyebrow.

"And I never had a need to. I always told myself I'd bring my true love here one day."

"Aww, thank you, sweetie."

"You're welcome."

Clover forked her first bite, which barely touched her tongue before she withdrew it hastily.

"Ah, hot!" She blew on the bite to cool it off and Mark chuckled to himself.

"I think that's what attracted me to you in the first place, Alex. You're so funny."

Alex struggled with the first bite, which nearly scalded her throat. "Funny? Funny how?"

"Well, everything. Every little thing you do makes me laugh a little inside."

Alex accidentally bit down on a pepper and suddenly began gulping her water in an effort to cool her tongue. She set her water glass down and started fanning her tongue and panting. Mark was having a very hard time maintaining his composure.

"Ah's noh funneh!"

"You laughed at me when I bit a pepper once."

"We were ah 'ome enh! Noh ih a reshauran!"

"Sorry, I can't help it! I already said you were funny."

Alex withdrew her tongue and scooped up another forkful. "Oh, hush!" She stared boldly at Mark as she put it in her mouth. This time there were no peppers, and she swallowed the food easily. They ate mostly in silence, stealing glances and smiles at each other between bites. When they finished, they pushed their plates away and leaned closer to each other.

"That was great," said Alex. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They chatted softly for a long time until the waiter returned and took up the empty plates.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? Dessert?"

"Coffee," they answered together.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Alex felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around to find Brad gesturing to Sam.

"What's up?"

"How's Friday sound for our shopping expedition?"

"Sounds great!"

"Good, I'll see you then. Brad and Sam got up to leave.

"Are you guys leaving already?"

"I'm afraid so. We've both got work in the morning."

"So do we, but we're not going. Won't you stay for a cup of coffee?"

"I wish I could, but I've got a long day tomorrow."

Alex pouted. "Well if you have to." She stood up and hugged Sam. "I'll see you Friday, then."

Mark stood up and shook Brad's hand.

"Nice meeting you."

"Same to you. See you later, Alex."

"Bye, Brad!"

Sam took Brad's arm and they left the room together. They left the building after a brief exchange with the Maitre D' and walked arm-in-arm to Brad's car. Sam rested her head on Brad's shoulder and sighed contentedly.

"That was wonderful. Thank you."

"Anything for you, Sam."

They walked to the car and Brad opened the door for Sam. He climbed in after closing her door and headed for Sam's apartment. They drove in silence, too full to talk much. Sam mostly stared out the window at the city, which rushed past her in a blur of bright lights peppering the darkness. They eventually reached Sam's apartment, and Brad parked beneath it.

"I had a great time, Sam."

"Me too." Sam leaned over and gave him a long, slow kiss. She broke it and whispered, "Good night" and stepped out of the car. Brad watched her until she went out of sight, entranced by the gentle sway of her hips and the bob of her shimmering hair, and then drove off, humming a merry tune.

* * *

Alex and Mark stayed at the restaurant and talked for a long time. The patrons began leaving and the staff began cleaning up, but still they talked. The night drew its intimate curtain around them and soon they were in their own little world again, with no one else around to bother them. But always, Sam and Clover were in the background of Alex's mind, waving and smiling to her, begging her not to forget what they had. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five 

David awoke as the bright sunlight poured right onto his side of the bed, as usual. He rubbed his eyes and turned over to find the bed empty. A moment of panic shot through him as he quickly scanned the room, and it died when he found Ruth sitting in the rocking chair and nursing Nicholas.

"Come on, David. You do that almost every morning," she said smiling. "You're so paranoid."

"Sorry. You get out of bed so lightly I never feel you go."

"What, are you afraid I've left you?" she cooed.

"Or worse."

Ruth laughed softly. "You know I'd never leave you. Nicholas needs a good daddy."

"Can you blame me?"

"Not at all, sillyhead."

David got up and walked over to his family. He placed a kiss on Ruth's head of curly hair and then looked at his son. Nicholas looked up at David with curious blue eyes, and then went back to eating. Ruth lifted Nicholas onto her shoulder and burped him before feeding him again.

"Happy birthday," said David.

"Thanks. Do I get any presents?"

David flashed her a guilty grin. He'd totally forgotten to buy Ruth a present of any sort.

"David!"

"Don't hurt me!"

"Of course I won't. Not in front of our son, at any rate!"

"Can I make it up to you?"

"You've got fifteen seconds."

David's mind raced for five seconds, and then he shrugged and planted a long kiss on Ruth's lips. Ten seconds later, their lips parted. Ruth smiled and said, "Okay, you've redeemed yourself."

David smiled. "Thank God."

Ruth glanced at the clock. "I'll fix your breakfast after he finishes his."

"Sounds good to me. I need to shower anyway."

"No kidding."

"What, you think I smell?"

"Well I do sleep next to you every night. I should know how my husband smells. Just hit the shower already."

"Okay, okay. Whatever you say, Cleopatra."

"Hey!" Cleopatra was David's pet name for Ruth when she started getting bossy. Ruth of course couldn't do anything to David with a baby at her breast. David headed to the shower while Nicholas finished his breakfast. When he did, she burped him one more time and rocked him to sleep before carrying him to the nursery and gently placing him in the cradle. She made sure to turn the monitor on before closing the door and going to the kitchen to start her own breakfast. She decided to make French Toast and fetched a few eggs and milk from the refrigerator and grabbed cinnamon out of the spice rack. She mixed everything together and was just about to place the first slice of bread on the skillet when David entered, fixing his tie.

"French Toast?"

"Mm-hmm."

David stood next to her and kissed her on the cheek. "You forgot something."

"What?"

David reached down and turned the burner on.

"I was just about to do that!"

"Sure you were."

"Really, I was!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Ruth shook her head and fixed her attention on the breakfast while David started going over the newspaper. Ruth was the chief sales consultant for a huge medical firm that covered the entire West Coast. Her position required her to be observant, intelligent, and prudent in all things, which is why she hated making tiny mistakes like that. Actually, she really just hated it when people pointed them out to her first, like David was so skilled at doing.

She finished the toast and set it on the table with a bottle of syrup. David set the paper aside and drowned the toast in syrup before devouring it hungrily.

"Wow, you're the hungry one," said Ruth as she fixed some for herself.

"I didn't get much dinner last night."

"Really? Why didn't you say anything? I would have fixed something for you."

"You were busy with Nicholas. I didn't want to disturb you."

Ruth finished her toast and sat down at the table. "It's no big deal, you know. You're just as important as the baby."

"I know, but I just…you know what? I am a moron."

"Well at least you're honest about it."

"Heh, thanks, I think." David and Ruth finished their breakfasts and Ruth took the plates to wash them. David got up and removed a key from his pocket. He unlocked a closet door and removed his gun belt. He took the pistol out of the holster and laid it on the table while he fastened the belt on.

"Uh, David?"

"Yeah?"

Ruth indicated the pistol, which was pointing right at her.

"Damn! Geez, sorry! Where is my brain today?" He quickly turned the gun so that it pointed at a wall, away from his wife. When he'd been issued his weapon back when they were engaged, he made sure to teach Ruth everything he knew about gun safety. The number one rule being never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot, even if it's unloaded. Ruth had seen two very close friends and a family member die as a result of gun violence, so she was extremely cautious around her husband's sidearm.

"Obviously not in your head."

"Obviously." David sat down at the table and unloaded the gun. He jacked the slide to eject the round and loaded the bullet into the clip. He performed his morning routine of carefully checking and cleaning his gun and when he finished slid the clip back into the handle.

"You know, in Europe, the police don't carry guns," said Ruth.

"I know. But guns are illegal in most of Europe, too."

"So what do the police do when they've got an armed suspect?"

"They call the SWAT team if it gets really bad."

"And how do they get a suspect to surrender without a gun to point at them?  
"Have you ever been hit with a nightstick? Those things hurt!"

"No, but I'll keep that in mind next time I go on a crime spree in London."

David smirked. "What exactly brought this line of conversation up?"

Ruth paused and a sullen look passed over her lovely face. "Every time I see that thing, I'm reminded that you have a dangerous line of work. I keep thinking you might end up dead one day."

David stared at the gun and gripped the back of the slide. "This thing is to ensure that doesn't happen." He drew the slide back and released it to chamber the first round. He set the safety on and put the gun away. "There aren't enough people in this line of work anyhow."

Ruth lowered her voice. "I know."

David's cell phone rang and he answered it. "Hello?"

"David, this is Baker."

"Hey, what's up?"

"We've got a case to investigate. Double homicide."

"Already? I haven't even made it to the office yet."

"Me either. I'm turning down your street right now to take you to the scene."

David sighed. "Alright, I'll be waiting."

"See you in a few."

David ended the call and put his phone away.

"Bad news?" asked Ruth.

"Looks like I'm hitting the ground running today. Already have a case."

Ruth gave him a pitiful look. "The Bureau sure is rough on you."

"Yeah, but I do love this job." Ruth held David's coat for him as he slipped it on. He turned around so she could straighten his coat and tie. She brushed a stray strand of hair back into place and looked him over. "There's my Special Agent. Now where did my husband go?"

"He put a suit and gun on, that's what." David gave her a peck on the cheek and turned to leave. He stopped and checked his pockets. "Where's my badge?"

"Right here, where you left it." Ruth picked his badge off the counter and tossed it to him.

"Thanks," said David as he pocketed the badge, grabbed his suitcase, and turned to leave. "Bye, honey!"

"See you tonight!"

David left the house and walked to the end of the driveway just as a gray sedan drove up with a lone occupant. He opened the passenger door and sat inside.

"Morning, Al."

"Morning, David," said the older FBI agent.

They left David's neighborhood and started toward the city.

"So what are we in for today?"

"Double homicide, about five this morning. Police are handing it over to the FBI."

"Who're the victims? Mailmen or something?"

"Not sure, I haven't had a chance to read the police report yet."

David sighed. "Another wonderful Monday in the lives of a pair of the Bureau's finest."

"You said it. I was just about to take the day off, too."

"Man, what I would give to spend a whole day with my family for once."

"That's right, you are a family man. How are Ruth and the kid?"

"Couldn't be better. Ruth is adjusting well to her maternity leave, and Nicholas is a perfectly healthy little boy."

"Glad to hear it."

An hour later, they arrived at the crime scene. It was located in a back alley in a low-rent district of Lost Angeles. The brick buildings loomed overhead with their filthy walls and tiny windows staring down on the scene. Yellow police tape marked the crime scene off, and police officers were milling about while passersby looked on from outside the scene. Police cars with their lights flashing guarded the entrances to the scene while detectives questioned witnesses. David and Al stepped out of the car and approached a detective as he was finishing with a witness.

"Ah, you're here," he said.

David and Al showed their badges and introduced themselves.

"Well, what's the scoop, detective?" Al asked.

The detective led them past the police tape to the crime scene. A pair of shrouded bodies lay on the ground next to each other. They each had a gun lying inches from their hands.

"Double homicide, both victims shot at close range right between the eyes. That's our initial observation."

"Initial observation?" said David.

The detective handed David a copy of the report. "Witnesses said they heard four shots, but we've only found two bullet casings. Both were nine millimeter, same caliber as the victim's weapons."

"I see.' David started poking around the crime scene. First he removed the shrouds and examined the bodies. Both had taken a single bullet to the head. Instant death. The bullet casings were marked on the ground a short distance away. David pulled on a pair of latex gloves and examined them. They were both nine-millimeter rounds, as the report indicated. He turned to the detective. "Did you check the guns yet?"

"No sir, we haven't touched them except for fingerprinting."

David picked up one of the guns and unloaded it. Checking the clip, he found it was short two bullets. One fired, one in the chamber. He slid the clip back in and set the gun down exactly as he found it. He checked the other weapon and found it in the same condition.

"Looks like these two ran across some mean people. They each got a shot off before getting it."

He leaned in close to the bodies and inspected the wounds. "No burn marks or gunpowder residue. The shooter or shooters were standing off a bit."

"They both missed, too," said the detective. "There are a couple of bullet holes in the wall behind you." David went to examine the wall. "We recovered the slugs and sent them to the lab, but they're definitely nines."

"I see," said David as he examined the bullet holes. He turned around and walked back to the detective and Al. "Alright, here's my guess. These two got into a disagreement with the other party. There were likely two other shooters, possibly just one."

"Just one?"

"Just conjecture. Anyway, the stiffs fired first, missed, and the winner put a bullet between their eyes. I think he was using a revolver."

"What makes you say that?"

"Only two shell casings. A revolver wouldn't leave any. Smart choice for a hit."

"You think this was a hit?"

"Possibly. At any rate, the stiffs didn't see it coming. They were both gunned down where they stood. If it wasn't a hit, it's probably a deal gone awry or something. We've all seen it before."

The detective mulled over David's summary. "We'll extract the bullets from the bodies and send their guns to ballistics."

"Did you find any other bullet holes, like across the street?"

The detective shook his head. "No. The killer had some great aim. Besides, the witnesses say they only heard four shots."

"I know, just checking. Did the witnesses see anyone?"

"The only one who saw anything reported a man in a long coat leaving the scene."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, they said it was too dark to see much."

David stared at the report and blew a long breath. "Well, thank you detective. "We'll take it from here."

"Yes sir."

David walked over to Al and handed him the report. "Well, how'd I do?"

"You're getting good, kid. You should have checked for the stiffs' I.D.s, though."

David hit himself in the head. "Aaagh, I totally forgot about that!"

Al patted him on the back. "Don't worry, that's why I'm here. Besides, it's our case now, so all the evidence is subject to our perusal as we wish."

David watched the cleanup crew begin sealing the bodies up in bags. "So what did you think of my assessment of the crime?"

"That's about how I envisioned it. Personally, I think there was only one shooter."

"What makes you say that?"

"It says on the witness report that the first two shots were fired almost simultaneously. Sounds to me like the two victims got spooked by the shooter and tried to take him out."

"But they failed."

"Yes. They missed and the shooter returned fire."

"What if the shooter and one victim shot first?"

"No. The witnesses say the second two shots sounded very distinctly like a revolver."

"How would they know that?"

"This ain't Beverly Hills, David."

David looked around at the low-rent tenements and filthy walls with sun-baked rain damage running down the brickwork from the window sills above. "You're right about that."

"The witnesses say the second two shots came about half a second apart. If we were dealing with two shooters, they'd probably have fired simultaneously."

"Yeah, a single shooter with one weapon makes more sense. The timing sounds about right for a revolver and someone with enough skill to put a bullet between the eyes of two people from some distance in the dark."

"He'd have to be inhumanly fast to kill them both before they could fire another round from their automatics."

"No kidding. I think the detective's right. This was a hit."

"And assassins fall under our jurisdiction. I guess we do have a case after all."

David leaned back against the car and looked up at the mostly-cloudy sky. "Guess we should round up all the evidence, do a background check on the stiffs, get what we can to the labs, and start putting an investigation together."

"You want to drive?"

"Nah, that's okay."

At the office, David and Al began going over the detailed police report. They were waiting on the victims' backgrounds as well as the results from the ballistics lab. It was now well past noon.

David set his copy of the report down and rubbed his eyes. "Aye yi yi."

"What is it?" asked Al, not looking up from his copy.

"Whatever clue we need, it must be in the background report, because I'm not seeing anything here, and I've read this thing three times now."

"Then read it a fourth time."

"Come on, Al! If you haven't spotted anything, then there really isn't anything!"

Al set his report down and leaned back in the chair. "I know that, but I keep looking. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you never know if a dry string is wet on the other end."

David shook his head. "Please, don't give me that metaphorical nonsense."

Al smiled. "It's about the only way I can get anything through that skull of yours."

"Yelling works."

"Yelling hurts my throat."

David glanced out the window. The early morning clouds had dispersed to offer Los Angeles its characteristic Southern California sun. David wished he could be taking a walk with his family today instead of dragging a simple homicide through the mud. All he wanted was to be able to say, "it's an LAPD matter" and be done with it. But there were rules, and he represented the most powerful law enforcement entity in the country.

Sitting behind a scratched-up desk in an old office just a little bigger than his bathroom.

"Nice day today," said Al.

"Yeah."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Law enforcement is overrated?"

"Err, no."

"Why don't we have outdoor offices?"

Al shrugged. "Eh, close enough."

A secretary entered the open door with a folder and handed it to David. "Here's the ballistics report."

"Thanks," said David as he waved her off. He opened the folder and scanned the first few pages before saying, "huh!"

"What is it?"

"Looks like the bullets are from two different guns. They're both .45s, but the markings are different."

Al acted out aiming two guns at once and ran the scenario in his head. "So, the suspect shot them each with a different gun?"

"Seems that way."

"He'd have to be using them simultaneously. Good lord this guy is good."

David smiled. "Getting nervous?"

"Well now I am. Have you ever tried to shoot like that with two guns? It's hard!"

"I know. I've only seen one guy pull it off."

Al leaned forward. "Who?"

"Agent Beck." David stared at him. "You aren't seriously considering him as a suspect?"

"Like you said, he was able to pull it off."

"No way, not with revolvers."

"What if it wasn't revolvers? What if the suspect just cleaned up after himself?"

"It was five in the morning. He wouldn't have been able to find the shells and exit before being spotted."

"What if the witnesses were mistaken? What if they just thought they heard revolvers going off?"

David was getting mad. "Out of the question! Beck isn't an assassin!" He yelled loud enough for a few agents to turn and peek inside the office.

Al held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "David, calm down. I'm not going to investigate Beck. He's got a solid alibi. He's been on vacation in Colorado with his wife."

"Then why all the speculation?"

"It's our job, David. If an angle, any angle can possibly shed some light on a case, then we have to check it out, even if it means inspecting one of our own."

David relaxed and set the ballistics report down. "Sorry, it's just that Beck is a good friend, and a fine agent."

"I know, just trying to get you to think."

"So this puts us where? Square one?"

"Sounds about right."

They sat and ran the facts through their heads. A dual-wielding assassin using revolvers takes down a pair of armed thugs all by himself, leaving the thugs only enough time to each fire one bullet. Motive: Unknown. Killer's identity: Unknown. So far, the investigation was going about as well as Ruth's last diet.

Several minutes later, the secretary returned with a pair of large folders.

"Here's the backgrounds on the two bodies from this morning."

"Ah, now we might be able to get somewhere!" declared David.

"Don't count your eggs before they're hatched," said Al.

"Again with the metaphors! You're worse than a preacher!"

"You're on thin ice, Dave."

"Hmph!" David opened one of the folders and started reading the file. His ire with his partner subsided as he dove into the victim's file. Al read the other one and was soon heard whistling appreciatively.

"Wow, these guys have one hell of a rap sheet."

"No kidding," said David. "This one's been convicted of drug possession, trafficking, extortion, racketeering, and been involved in but never convicted of several murders."

"This one reads about the same way. Looks like they worked together a lot. Got some pretty high-profile names attached to them as well."

"Yeah I see that. Hey, we put that one away last year!" he said, pointing at a name in the file.

Al leaned over for a look. "Yeah, I remember that one. Al went back to scanning the list of connections and froze.

David noticed his partner turning pale. "Uh, something the matter?"

"Does the name Ramirez mean anything to you?"

David searched his memory. "Sounds familiar. What's he about?"

Al lowered his voice. "It was ten years ago, before your time. Major league trafficker and dealer in stolen goods, and we're not talking just cars, either."

David's eyes widened with recognition. "Oh, now I remember that! Mostly because half the file on that case is still sealed."

Al closed the file and set it down. "Ramirez was…is big-time. We're talking the freaking Godfather of the West Coast."

"Really? Let's see what his file looks like." David connected to the database and ran a search on Ramirez. What he found disappointed him. "Is this it?"

"What?"

"For the Godfather of the West Coast, he's got a really small file."

"Let me see that."

David turned the screen around and showed Al the file. Al quickly scanned it and his eyes narrowed in confusion. "That's not right. I worked on his case all those years ago. This guy was involved in a terrorist plot against LA."

David almost fell out of his chair. "He what?"

"You didn't know?"

"News to me."

Al snorted. "Well, you are still pretty green. It was ten years ago. We got wind that Ramirez had assisted a terrorist in planting a bomb in the city. We arranged a deal with him to get the location, but I botched it."

David was slowly leaning forward as he became more engrossed in the tale. Ten years ago, he'd just been in high school. He had no idea that something this big had been going down right under his nose. "Go on."

"We wanted to bust Ramirez as soon as we had the info, but I called it too early. Ramirez got away with a boatload of cash and we were left without a clue."

"Did you ever find the bomb?"

"Yes, eventually, after a lot more trouble than we would have liked. If it hadn't been for that stupid mistake, I'd be the administrator right now instead of breaking in newbies."

"Hey, now. I thought you said you liked working with me?"

Al smiled. "I do. But I was just wandering 'what if?'"

"Ah." David studied the screen for a moment. "Think we should ask the administrator about this?"

Al checked his watch. "It can wait. We need to get down to the morgue and go through the victims' personal effects."

David shuddered. "Man, I hate touching dead bodies, all cold and stiff. It's just not natural."

"Neither is taking a slug to the brain. Come on, you wuss."

"Alright, old man. Want to get some lunch before we get to the morgue?"

"Sure. I can't stand the sight of food after going to that place."

"Me either."

They didn't have to wait long at the morgue before a mortician brought a pair of trays containing the victims' personal effects.

"Here you go, gentlemen."

"Thanks," said David. "And thanks for not making us have to see the bodies."

"No problem at all. If you need anything else, I'll be in the next room." She left them alone and David and Al began going through the articles.

At first, they found nothing out of the ordinary aside from the guns. Their wallets contained some cash, photos, cards of various sorts, and some receipts. The jewelry showed nothing of interest either. It was gold, and it was shiny, but it told them nothing. All that was left was the pocket change.

David rubbed his eyes. "I guess we should analyze the receipts?"

Al looked at the receipts. "We will, but they're just from a grocery store and a burger joint. The other contents might tell us something when we cross-reference them with their files."

David absent-mindedly started playing with the pocket change.

"That's evidence, you know."

"Yeah, useless evi-" one of the coins caught David's eye. It looked different from the other coins. Its luster was different, and so was the color. He picked up the coin and found that it wasn't American.

"Hey, this isn't American money."

Al looked up. "What?"

"It's a five Kopeck coin. It's Russian currency."

"Let me see that." David gave it to Al, who looked it over. "Yep, it's a Kopeck alright. What was he doing with Russian currency in LA?"

"I don't know." David called the mortician in. She entered and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, did you find these coins in their pockets with the rest of the change?" he handed her the Kopeck.

The mortician looked it over and handed it back to him. "Yes, we found those with the rest of the change."

"Are you sure? They weren't on any other place, were they?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"Just doing my job, ma'am."

The mortician shrugged and left. David stroked his chin and stared into space. "So we've got two dead guys with Russian currency in their pockets. What do you think it means?"

"My first guess would be calling card, but given the window of time the shooting took place in, I find it unlikely he had enough time to plant the coins in their pockets."

"Which means they were carrying the coins already." David mulled over the coins for a moment. "Do you think we're trying to make something out of nothing here?"

Al shook his head slowly. "They were both carrying five-Kopeck coins. This is way too fishy."

"Do you think," David lowered his voice, "do you think they might have been involved with the Russian mob?"

Al lowered his voice. "Let's not jump to conclusions, David. There's a lot we don't know."

"Yeah, too much. Let's get back to the office and see what was up with that Ramirez file."

When they got back to the office, they went straight to the system administrator for the entire department. Arnold looked up from his work and smiled when he saw David.

"David! What brings you down here?"

They shook hands. Arnold had changed a lot since high school. His acne had cleared up, though his hairline had begun to recede. His glasses were no longer the prismatic monsters he was famous for, and he dressed as professionally as anyone in the department. However, he still hadn't quite shaken the "geek" aura.

"We came down here to see if you could find something on the network for us."

Arnold put his work aside and pulled his keyboard closer. "Okay, shoot."

"We need some info on a guy named Ramirez."

"Okay…" Arnold quickly accessed the file. "I have it, but it looks like any ordinary criminal file to me. What's so special about this guy? I hope you didn't come down here to waste my time, David."

"We think the file's been tampered with."

Arnold's eyebrows rose with interest. "You think so?"

"Possibly. I'd just like you to look into it."

"Hang on, it's usually pretty easy to tell if a file's been tampered with. For me anyway."

David rolled his eyes and waited while Arnold did his thing. After a few minutes, Arnold's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Huh."

"What is it?"

"This file's been tampered with."

"Tampered? What do you mean?"

"Just what I said, it's been tampered with. Looks like it was substantially larger, but someone removed a lot of data."

"So someone deleted part of the file? Who?"

"I said removed, not deleted. Someone lifted part of the file and sent it somewhere else."

"Can you track it?"

Arnold adjusted his glasses. "I can try, but it will take a while, and I can't guarantee any results." Arnold cleared his throat and strummed his fingers on the desk. David sighed and handed him an old Game Boy game. Arnold pocketed the cartridge and began furiously working on the computer. "I'll let you know about anything I find!"

"Thanks, Arnold. I owe you one."

"Hey, don't mention it. It's what I do," he said importantly.

"Right, see you later."

Al and David went back downstairs to their floor. As they were walking back to David's office, they ran into the administrator on his way out.

"Afternoon, gentlemen."

David grabbed his arm. "Hey Phil, you got a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?"

David looked around and lowered his voice. "Someone's removed info from the database."

Phil's eyes showed alarm, but the rest of his face remained natural except for the lines appearing on his balding head. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I just saw Arnold. He's trying to run a trace on it right now."

Phil looked around and turned to David. "Come on up to my office now. No, ten minutes." David let go of his arm and Phil walked to the elevator.

"You know," said Al, "I've got a bad feeling about all this."

"Ah, I'll bet it's just the fish sandwich you ate."

Al rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Ten minutes later, David and Al stepped into Phil's office. It was lavishly decorated compared to David's little space, though David had seen far fancier offices in his lifetime.

"Take a seat," said Phil. "Now," he said as they sat, "I asked Arnold about it, and he did confirm that data has been lifted from our database. He's still working on the date, but so far he's narrowed it down to within the last few months."

"Anything else besides Ramirez's file?" asked Al.

"Arnold's not sure yet, though he said it's likely."

"It'll take forever for him to comb through all that data," said David.

"I know, which is why I've put most of the IT squad to work on it. If the rest of the lifted data is on as high-profile criminals as Ramirez, we could have a potential crisis on our hands."

"Who would do that?"

"Someone with a lot to hide. I imagine."

"If it's an inside job," said Al, "the last thing we want is a witch hunt."

"I know, which is why I've instructed Arnold to look for external breaches, but not to totally disregard inside theft."

"So what do we do?" asked David.

Phil clasped his hands and rested his elbows on the desk. "For now, we keep a tight lid on this situation. Paranoia is our worst enemy, so I want you two to keep quiet on this matter until we have more information. Until then, I'm putting you two in charge of this case along with any normal work I assign you. If we find sufficient cause for alarm, I'll upgrade the case to priority status and alert the rest of the Bureau. Understand?"

"Yes sir," they answered.

"Good. I'll let you two leave early if you want. Keep working on the double homicide from this morning, since the two victims were connected to Ramirez."

"Will do," said David.

"Good." They stood and left the office. "Oh and one more thing." David and Al stopped at the door. "Be careful. I've got the feeling we're on to something big."

"You didn't have fish for lunch, did you?" asked David.

"Yes, why?"

"Just checking." Al sighed and yanked him through the door. Phil scratched his head, shrugged, and sat down to make a phone call.

David decided to take up Phil's offer and come home early. He had already considered taking the day off before Al called him about the murders, so any chance to see his family early was good news to him. He knew Ruth would appreciate the extra help with the baby, and David jumped at any chance to play with his son some more.

He pulled up to the house and got out of the car, humming an old tune. He opened the door and could hear Nicholas crying in another room.

"Ruth? I'm back!"

No answer except for Nicholas' whimpering. David faintly heard Ruth trying to calm Nicholas down.

"Honey? Is something wrong?"

David followed the crying to the living room, where Ruth was sitting on the couch and holding Nicholas protectively.

"Ruth, what's the matter?"

He found her eyes brimming with fear and glancing to his left. David caught the hint a second too late.

Something cold and hard pressed against his temple and David heard the click of a hammer. "Drop the gun, if you don't mind, agent," said a cold, rocky voice. David obeyed and removed his gun from the holster and dropped it on the floor.

"Good, now please join your lovely family on the couch. I've had such a lovely visit so far."

David walked calmly to the couch and sat beside Ruth. Nicholas calmed down as he sensed his father's presence and David got a look at the intruder. He was an old man, though his face was still full of intelligence and vitality. His eyes were cold and piercing, lined by many long years. His gray hair hung off the back of his head in neatly trimmed curls, and a thick moustache framed his mouth and chin. His finely tailored suit with its long coat resembled something out of a Western, an effect accentuated by the cowboy boots he wore. He was pointing a revolver at them, and David could see another one in a second holster under his coat.

"Who are you?" David demanded.

"Aren't we the petulant one?" said the intruder. "Sadly, all I can say is that I'm a gunfighter, and that's all you'll get."

David fixed his jaw and narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

"To deliver a message. A warning, really." The mysterious gunman began spinning the gun absent-mindedly on his finger. Every time he stopped the gun, it was pointing right at David's heart. David and his family were completely silent. The only sound aside from the spinning gun was the hum of the air conditioner, the quiet whir of the ceiling fan, and the next-door neighbor's lawn mower outside. A car rolled down the street, the driver oblivious to the situation just a few feet from him as he drove merrily home.

"Well, what's the message?"

The gunman sat down in the chair and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "Before I do, let me ask you something. Do you love your family?"

David and Ruth glanced at each other in bewilderment. "Of course I do! But I don't see-"

"Then drop the investigation."

"The investigation?"

"Yes, the investigation. Just rule the killings as gang-related and drop your probe into the database thefts."

"How did you know about that?"

"I have my sources. I'm an old man, David. Old men tend to have lots of connections." He tossed the gun into the air and caught it without missing a beat, once again stopping it with the barrel pointing at David's heart. "And don't worry about your friend Arnold. One of my associates is delivering a similar message via his own means."

"Why do you want me to stop? What do you have to do with the cases?"

"Lots, but unfortunately I can't exactly say. Let's just say that what you think is just a puddle to clean up is really a vast ocean full of dangerous beasts and showing no pity on those two dare to tread its dangerous waters."

"So there's more to this case, then?"

"Yes. Also, I've been ordered to kill either you or your family should you try to delve too deeply."

Ruth recoiled with the baby and David sat up straight. "If you hurt either of them, I'll rip out your spine."

The gunman snorted and laughed. "That's just it, I don't want to harm them. I have far too much respect for you and your family, and I've had such a wonderful time getting to know your lovely wife."

David looked at Ruth and saw her eyes filled with a confusing mix of emotions.

The gunman checked his pocket watch and stood up. "I'm afraid I must be going, David. But the warning still stands. Drop the investigation or lose something very precious to you. I'll be watching." The gunman put his gun away, donned a broad-rimmed hat and turned to leave. He paused and glanced over his shoulder with a dry smile. "By the way, happy birthday Miss Ruth." He left the house.

David and Ruth sat completely still for several minutes after the clop of his boots faded away to make sure he was gone. Nicholas cooed and David held them close as Ruth cried into his shoulder.

_That guy. He was the murderer. I just know it._

He buried his face in Ruth's soft, fragrant curls and tried to banish what had just happened from his mind, but he knew it was permanently branded into the canvas of his memory.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

The next day dawned bright and spotless. At least the part that Mandy and Clover woke up to.

For everyone else, it was back to the daily grind again. Sam woke up early to hit the gym for an hour before going to work. Alex got up to find Mark fixing breakfast for her. David woke up with Ruth beside him for once and decided to take the day off.

When Sam got to the office, she had a full load on her desk. She looked over the enormous stacks of papers and knew right away she wouldn't be seeing the outside world until quitting time. She sat down at her desk and took the first folder off the tallest stack and leaned back in her seat to begin reading through it. After several minutes she set it on the table and rubbed her eyes. The papers in the folder were so full of technical jargon she couldn't make heads or tails of it without one of the engineers.

She looked over her shoulder toward her boss' office. The secretary was busy on the phone and taking notes. The door was shut and the window blinds were drawn, meaning that he was meeting with someone important. Sam sighed and picked up the unintelligible file again. She trudged through four more pages of techno babble before finally giving up. She stuck a note on the folder telling whoever wrote it to rewrite the contents in plain English and stuck it in her outbox.

She picked up the next folder and started reading it. It was full of authorization forms for various projects, which Sam would have to approve or disapprove of before Tsubaki could get to them. She sighed and settled into her work routine, reading and signing forms until she finished the task close to an hour later.

When she finished the folder and put it in her outbox, she stretched and glanced toward the main office doors. They stood still and silent, and Sam wondered what was going on in there. Usually it meant he was in a conference with company partners or investors. Either way, it could tie him up all day long.

A young woman walked up to Sam and set a cup of coffee on her desk.

"Oh, thanks Lana!"

"Don't mention it!" said the bright-eyed girl before she walked back to her desk.

When Sam first started her internship, Lana was one of the first people she became friends with. Then, Lana had looked familiar, and it took over a month for Sam to figure out why.

When in the bathroom one day, Lana was adjusting a strap and Sam noticed a scar on her shoulder. Then it hit Sam. Old memories trickled into her consciousness. Memories of a train, a madman, and another man obsessed with catching him. Sam recalled the terrifying experience in vivid detail. The madman's name was Stephen, an international terrorist bent on destroying Los Angeles and was not afraid to take out anyone who stood in his way, even if they didn't know it. Lana was one such person ten years ago.

A few months ago, Lana brought up the train wreck in the course of conversation.

"Yeah, that was some wreck. I'm lucky to be alive."

"Yeah, I remember hearing about it," Sam lied. "Didn't the front car explode or something?"

Lana shrugged. "That was the official report. But you know what?"

"What?"

Lana looked around and lowered her voice to a whisper. "It was a terrorist."

Sam feigned shock. "You're kidding."

Lana shook her head. "Nope. The government hushed the whole thing up and passed it off as a gas explosion, but I was there, Sam. The guy freaking shot me and tried to blow up the train."

"So what happened?"

"Well, there were these CIA-types chasing him. Three girls who didn't look much older than me."

Sam shifted her weight nervously. "Go on."

"Anyway, this guy, I can't remember his name, was shooting up the whole train while the agents were chasing him. When he got to my car, I was petrified. I totally expected him to kill me when he walked past, but all he shot me with was a passing glance."

"Sounds scary."

"He was. I'll never forget those eyes. They were an icy shade of blue. He creeped me out."

"So what happened next?"

"Well, those agents caught up to him and he started shooting at them. I don't know why they didn't shoot back, but they didn't. So anyway, he went to the front of the car, and they told me to come to the back with them. I was still totally petrified. I felt like if I got out of my seat I'd be stepping into a minefield. But those three girls were just so confident and their faces so reassuring I had to take the chance, so I bolted. Almost as soon as I got out of my seat, he turned around and started shooting again and hit me in the shoulder."

Sam forced a gasp. "That's horrible!"

"No kidding. Everything after that was a haze. I barely remember the wreck itself until after I climbed out of the train. But you know what?"

"What?"

"The reason I was on the train in the first place was because I was running away."

Sam looked at Lana incredulously. "You're kidding. You?"

Lana nodded. "Yep, I was running away. Or at least I was until I got shot. When I saw the wreckage of the train and felt my injured shoulder, I realized how stupid I was acting. I asked myself what I, not much more than a kid, was doing running away when I've got it so good at home?"

"So you went back?"

"Of course! That day, horrible as it was, turned my life around. I ended up graduating with highest honors, went to a good school, and now I work here!"

Sam noticed the lack of a ring. "Not married yet?"

Lana sighed. "No, not yet. I guess some of us don't get married until later on. That's fine with me, but sometimes I do wish God would drop me a hint."

She and Sam laughed

Sam snapped out of her flashback when she heard the doors to Dr. Tsubaki's office open. He was flanked by a bunch of very powerful-looking men and was talking rapidly with all of them.

"I must thank you gentlemen once again for coming here. It is always an honor to work with you."

"No need for thanks, Doctor," said one of the younger men. "It's always a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you. Now gentlemen, don't let me be in your way. I know we're all very busy today."

The men bid Tsubaki farewell and he escorted them to the elevator. When the doors took them from view, he headed back to the office past Sam's desk.

"Good morning, Sam. How are you?"

"Fine, Dr. Tsubaki. Um, can I talk to you about something?"

"Can it wait a little while? I'm rather busy."

Sam was about to say "yes," but then decided her future wasn't something to put off even for five minutes. "No."

"Alright, just tell me in my office." Sam followed Tsubaki into his spacious office. The conference table was still littered with papers and half-empty cups of water, but his desk was immaculate. He sat down and started filling out a form. "Alright, what is it?"

Sam meshed her fingers together and rolled onto her toes and back down. "I…I turned down that job at the governor's office."

Tsubaki stopped and looked at her in surprise. "You did? What on earth for? I thought you wanted to get into politics?"

"I do! And I always will. But…"

"But?"

"But, I realized the other day that I don't know anyone in Sacramento. All my friends are still here in LA."

Tsubaki set his pen down and stared at Sam. "Sam, as your soon-to-be-ex-employer, what you do with your career is out of my hands. But as your mentor, I have to question the motive behind this move. Are you sure you're doing this for the right reasons?"

"But, these aren't just any old friends. We've known each other forever, and, well, we've been through a lot of crap together. I really can't describe how far it goes."

Tsubaki leaned on his desk and stared at Sam with a penetrating look. "I know how you feel. I grew up in Hawaii, and I left a lot of very close friends behind to pursue my career. But you know what?"

"What?"

"Over the years of separation, I discovered who my true friends were. These were few, but I still keep regular contact with them and even see them on occasion. The rest turned out to be little more than acquaintances, people whom I knew by name but did not really know. Do you understand?"

Sam nodded slowly. "Yes sir."

"So you're certain about this? You could be jeopardizing your career with this move. I don't want to see someone as promising as yourself go to waste."

Sam looked at him confidently. "It won't. And I'm still determined to get into politics. Maybe this just wasn't the right time, is all."

Tsubaki studied her intently for what felt like an eternity to Sam. His eyes pierced hers and walked through her personality, her history with the company, and his time as her boss. He went through all the disappointments he'd had with her, all the joys he'd felt for her, and everything in between. Finally, he took a breath. "Alright, I see you've made up your mind. Very well, what's your next move?"

Sam unconsciously began playing with her hair. "Um, is that opening you mentioned still available?"

"Yes, why?"

_He's testing me._ "I'd like to apply for the position."

"You would? It's not a very big position. Nothing on the level of working for the governor."

"If it's available, I'd still like to apply for it. I'd like to continue working for your company," she said confidently, like this was what she'd been working for her entire life.

"It's not a position you can leave easily, either. It requires lengthy commitment and plenty of work, not to mention intimate knowledge of the company. Are you still up for it?"

"Dr. Tsubaki, if you feel that I am unqualified, then that's your decision. I believe that I can fill the role, and better than anyone else." _Don't overdo it Sammie._

Tsubaki closed his eyes momentarily and smiled when he reopened them. "Sam, consider yourself hired. You'll assume full responsibility the week following the termination of your internship."

"Thank you."

"In addition, you will have your own office and access to the entire network."

Sam was speechless. "May I ask what this job is?"

Tsubaki grinned. "You'll be helping coordinate our international relations, sales, and overseas finances."

Sam's mind reeled. So much responsibility for just a lowly intern, and so quickly! "You can't be serious! I can't handle all that at once!"

"Calm down. I said you'd be _helping_. You'll be part of a fine team of experts who will provide you with whatever assistance you need. I won't burden you with the full responsibility right away. In fact, I already have a project to get you started."

"What is it?"

"I'm still finalizing the details right now, but let's just say it involves an airplane."

"Um, eh, thank you!"

"You're very welcome. I'll give you the details once I have everything finalized. I'm sure you'll like it. Now, I do believe you still have work to do."

"Oh yeah. Bye, Mr. Tsubaki!"

"See you later, Sam."

* * *

David played with Nicholas while Ruth gave the house a much-needed cleaning.

"I really appreciate you staying home," she said. "This house was getting filthy!"

"Don't mention it," said David. "How could I leave my family alone on a day like this?"

Outside, it was a perfect Southern California day - sunny, not too hot, and not too cool. The thrum of a lawnmower across the street came through the windows, and was accompanied by the rhythmic _swish, swish_ of Ruth's broom in the kitchen. David let Nicholas crawl all over him, exploring his face with his tiny hands and making valiant attempts at mimicking vowels and consonants.

Ruth finished her sweeping and walked through the living room on her way to the broom closet. "So what do you have planned for your day off?"

"Well, I was thinking about taking you two to lunch, and then tonight we could hire a sitter and you and I can go see a movie."

Ruth stopped. "A sitter? Are you sure?"

"Sure! I know an old friend who'd jump at the chance to take care of Nicholas."

"Can you trust her?"

David nodded. "Of course! We've known each other for years."

"I don't know…"

David set Nicholas on his lap as he crawled too close to the edge of the couch. "Come on, honey! We haven't had a moment to each other since Nicholas was born."

Ruth reappeared in the doorway and crossed her arms. "I'm just not sure about leaving our only child in someone else's hands."

David grabbed Nicholas' chin and started moving it like he was a puppet.

"Go ahead mommy! I'll be okay! You and daddy need a few hours by yourselves! Just tell the sitter where the formula is and I'll be a-okay!"

Nicholas punctuated the puppet show with a loud squeal.

Ruth cracked a smile at last. "Okay, you two sold me. We'll hire a sitter. Now who's this friend of yours?"

"Someone I knew back in high school. Her name's Alex."

"Is she married?"

"Yes, but they don't have any kids yet."

"Do they want any?"

"Last I heard, absolutely. They're just waiting to move into a decent house before starting a family."

"I see. So she'd be treating this as a practice run for being a mother?"

David snorted. "I should hope not! She's a little ditzy, but I think she'll have great fun with Nick here." Nicholas picked up a rattle and began shaking it furiously.

"If you say so. So what movie are we seeing?"

"I'll let that be your call. Lunch is all mine."

"Sounds like a plan." Ruth checked a clock. "I'll finish up in here and then we can go."

"Great!" David stood and picked up Nicholas. "We'll be outside if you need us."

"Okay!"

David carried Nicholas into the back yard and set him down in a sunny patch of grass. Nicholas recoiled at first at the sensation of the springy grass. He looked at his father in alarm and started snuffling as his eyes welled up with anxiety. David sat cross-legged in the grass a couple of feet from Nicholas and smiled at him.

"It's okay," he soothed. "I'm right here."

Nicholas eyed his father with trepidation and set one hand on the grass. He withdrew his hand and looked to David for guidance. Encouraged by his father's smile, Nicholas set his hand in the grass again. When nothing bit him, he leaned forward and got on his hands and knees. The grass tickled his skin, and he giggled with delight at this new sensation. He crawled into David's lap, and then turned around and started crawling in the grass.

A butterfly alighted on a wildflower to feed and its flame-red wings fascinated Nicholas. He slowly crawled to it and stopped a couple of feet away. The butterfly's scales shimmered like jewels in the bright sunlight as it opened and closed its wings to catch the breeze. Nicholas sat up and reached for the winged jewel with a stubby hand, but the butterfly saw him and took off, following the wind to a new flower. Nicholas watched it go and crawled back to David. He fell down just before he got to David, who picked him up and set him in his lap and handed him a wildflower.

Nicholas took the flower very curiously. He studied its simple, brilliant design and was fascinated by the colors of the petals. He rubbed the silky petals between his fingers, and found that he could pull them off. He began mechanically disassembling the flower, pulling all the petals off and watching them flutter into his lap. He then pulled the disc off the stem, and finding no more things to yank off of the flower, threw the stem away and leaned back against David, disappointed that there was no more flower to deconstruct.

David picked him up and went inside to check on Ruth. She was putting the vacuum cleaner up and letting her hair down out of the bandanna.

"You done?"

"Yes. So where are we going?" David followed her into the bedroom and set Nicholas down in the middle of the bed so they could change into something more presentable for town. Nicholas rolled onto his stomach and watched them get ready.

David buttoned up his shirt. "Yeah, it's a little Greek place near Rodeo. A coworker recommended it."

"Greek, eh?" said Ruth as she pinned her earrings on. "I could go for a Gyro."

"Good. I was thinking ice cream for dessert," said David as he pulled his socks on.

Ruth tied her hair back with a silk ribbon. "Ice cream? You know I'm on a diet."

"What fun is a diet if you don't break from it once in a while?"

"Come on, it's been hard enough getting back into shape with the baby to take care of. You could at least try to help me."

"I am trying to help you! I'm trying to help you relax as a reward for doing such a good job with Nicholas."

"I appreciate the sentiment," she said as she put the final touches on her makeup. "But I would rather like to get back into shape."

David shrugged as he combed his hair. "Suit yourself. I was going to take us to Dale's Creamery."

Ruth stopped. "When we get there, just stay out of my way."

David patted her on the head. "I knew you'd see it my way."

David picked Nicholas up and strapped him into the carrier. They all went out to the car and David connected the carrier to its base in the car to turn it into a car seat.

"David," said Ruth as they pulled away from the house. "What was that guy from yesterday talking about? Who was he?"

David shook his head. "I've…been investigating some…unusual stuff at the bureau."

"What kind of stuff?'

"Sensitive stuff. Scary stuff. Stuff I'm not sure I should be getting into."

"Why did it concern us?"

"Whoever that guy was, and whoever he works for, they obviously don't want me going into this too deep."

"Will you?"

David glanced at his wife. She was worried, dreadfully worried. He turned his eyes back on the road. "That's just it. I swore to uphold the law when I started this career. If someone's sending death threats against me and my family, it's my duty to find out what's going on."

"Even if our lives are on the line?"

David paused to collect his thoughts. "Ruth, I am afraid. I'm scared to death. Someone just threatened my wife and son. I don't want you to die. But at the same time, I can't let this slide. The guy was obviously connected with the criminal element. If I don't do something, they'll continue to harass people like you and me forever. Someone has to step across the line and say 'that's enough!'"

Ruth looked out the window and watched the sunlit city glide past.

"I know you're worried about me, but I can't stand idly by after what happened yesterday. Something serious is going on. If I don't find out what and put a stop to it, they're just going to keep sending people like that to terrorize innocent civilians. "

"And you're just going to do it all by yourself?"

"No. I'm not really sure what I'll do, Ruth, but I have to do...something."

"Of course you do."

The sorrow in Ruth's voice cut David to the core. He cursed the mysterious gunman for instilling such fear in his wife. He cursed whoever sent him. Something was wrong in the world, and he hated it.

Ruth turned to him and smiled. "But that was all yesterday, right?"

"Huh?"

"You're not working today. Let's just pretend the Bureau doesn't exist for a day, alright?"

David smiled back at her. "The what?"

"Exactly."

* * *

Clover's stomach growled as she worked up a contract. "Hey Mandy?"

Mandy looked up from her work. "Hmm?"

"You hungry?"

"Yeah, a little."

"You wanna make a food run?"

Mandy looked over her half-finished work. She had no heart for it at the moment. "Sure, what do you want?"

"Chinese?"

"Sounds good to me. Whatcha want?" Mandy tore a sheet from her notepad.

"Umm, something vegetarian."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

"And don't forget the Hot & Sour Soup!" Clover called after her.

"Don't worry! I may not like you, but I don't ignore you. Not completely at any rate."

"Hey!"

Mandy laughed her annoying high-pitched snort laugh as she left the office and headed to her car.

* * *

Sam was busy typing up a business letter when Lana snuck up behind her.

"Sam?"

Sam jumped and spun around. "What?"

"Would you mind getting some lunch for me and the rest of the team?"

"I'm kind of busy right now. I was planning on just skipping lunch."

"Tsubaki wants something, too. He says most of the stuff you're working on isn't very important anyway."

Sam stared at her half-finished workload and felt insulted that she'd be given so much work with so little import.

She sighed and pushed away from the desk. "Alright, what does everyone want?"

Lana handed her a list. "Here you go."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Sam grabbed her purse and went down to the garage. The restaurant was a short distance from the office, so the trip wouldn't take long. She got in the car and tuned the radio to the news station. She caught the tail end of the traffic report before the station went to commercials. She turned the radio off rather than listen to banal advertisements and rolled the windows down to let the wind run through her hair. It felt good to let her hair flow free, just like the old days.

* * *

After eating lunch, David, Ruth, and Nicholas walked down the street to an ice cream shop. Ruth ordered the single most expensive, fattening flavor they had and began eating it with relish. David ordered a simple chocolate cone and let Nicholas have the first lick.

"David, he's a a little young for ice cream don't you think?"

"Nobody's ever too young for ice cream, isn't that right, Nick?"

Nicholas responded by reaching for David's cone.

"Well when he grows up to be a little porker, I'll know exactly who to blame: his father."

"He's not going to be fat. How is he going to play baseball if he's overweight?"

"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, dear?"

"Just looking to the future, babe."

"Babe? You haven't called me that since we started dating."

"You don't like it?"

"It sounds suspicious."

"Suspicious? Are you accusing me of cheating on you?"

"No, but "babe" isn't the kind of term I think a man should use for his true love."

"Okay, no more babe."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie. You meant something."

"I just thought that the way you said "babe" was a bit disrespectful considering I'm your wife and all."

"The way I said it?"

"Yeah. You know, like, _hey babe, wanna go back to my place?_ I don't usually expect a pick-up line from my husband."

David scratched his head and Nicholas cooed from inside his carrier. "Ruth, you're confusing me."

"Then you just don't understand me at all."

"Obviously."

They approached a crosswalk and waited for the signal to change.

* * *

Sam parked her car down the street from the restaurant. She walked briskly down the sidewalk, going over the list in her head. She came to a crosswalk and looked around to scan the street. Across the street from her, she noticed a very familiar figure standing with his family..

She waved and called out to him. "David! Hey!"

David looked up and saw Sam. "Sam! Hey!"

Ruth glared at him. "Who is she?"

"An old friend," said David with all seriousness.

Sam waited for the signal and began crossing the street, keeping her eyes on her old friend.

* * *

Mandy drove her car down the road, looking for a parking spot. She passed the Chinese place and continued to an intersection. The light changed as she approached it, and she noticed Sam, David, and his family on either side of the road. She rolled down her window and inhaled to call out to them.

* * *

Luis crested the hill overlooking the intersection in the company's flatbed truck. As he began descending the slope, he went through the braking routine he'd done a thousand times on this same hill.

But this time, something different happened. Deep inside the mechanisms of his truck, the brake shoes failed to receive any pressure from the master cylinder and the truck began accelerating instead of slowing down. It only took a second for Luis to realize something was horribly wrong with the truck.

He hammered the horn, blasting it at intervals to clear out the pedestrians on the street as he carefully guided the speeding truck down the hill. He cleared most of the cars and felt a wave of relief flow through him as the intersection came into view. The street from there was level, which would allow him to coast to a stop. And then a pretty redhead stepped into the street.

* * *

Sam heard something on the periphery of her senses. It was out of place, loud, and getting closer. She saw a horrified look appear on David's face, and he was looking past her. His wife – _what was her name again? Ruth? Yeah, that's it _– wore a similar expression and her mouth was open in the middle of a shout. Sam looked behind her and saw a huge flatbed truck barreling towards her.

Years ago, her WOOHP honed instincts would have kicked in and she would have immediately gotten out of the truck's path. But that was years ago. Her reflexes had dulled tremendously from years of living a placid life. The sight of a truck coming at her then would have triggered and instantaneous response, but now her mind had to work for a second before the impulse reached the rest of her body.

_Get out of the way!_

Sam dove backwards with all her might and hit the pavement rolling. She looked up to see the truck on a collision course with a purple sedan.

_Hey, isn't that Mandy's car?_

* * *

Luis saw the car he had no chance to avoid, and the young woman in the driver's seat he was heading straight for. In the last moments before impact, he prayed that she had found her peace with God.

* * *

Mandy looked to her left at the sizeable vehicle at the last moment. All she could think was "white."

* * *

The bystanders looked on helplessly as the flatbed plowed into the driver's side of the sedan. Glass shattered and steel buckled and twisted with gut-wrenching calamity. The truck slammed into the car and spun it around 180 degrees and continued on through the intersection and down the road until it collided with a streetlight and lost all its momentum. The sedan spun about and rolled a couple of feet before stopping.

"Wait here!" said David to Ruth as he ran to the sedan. Sam also got up and rushed to Mandy's car. They both looked inside the car and blanched. Mandy was slumped over the steering wheel, still secured by her seatbelt. David checked her pulse, and finding one, leaned her back against the seat. Blood was everywhere. Mandy had a serious laceration across her forehead and blood was streaming down her face and across the lesser wounds that marred her visage. The driver's door was bent hideously inward, pinning Mandy inside and causing untold injury.

"Sam, call 911!" David exclaimed.

Sam was glued to the pavement. David's command went past her like an autumn breeze. She felt disoriented and lightheaded. Mandy looked, for all intents and purposes, dead. Her best friend's business partner. Her former rival in high school. Dead.

She felt something hard grasp her arm and shake her roughly. Gradually, the rest of the world came into focus. David was shouting at her to call an ambulance. Bystanders were crowding around. A scared-looking Latino man was tentatively approaching the scene with his hat in his hands, tears welling in his fearful eyes.

"Sam, call an ambulance! Mandy may be dying!"

Sam nodded and opened her cell phone. Suddenly her strength left her and she dropped it. She fell to her knees and retched violently, wanting to vomit, but her body wouldn't let her.

David scooped up her cell phone, since Ruth had his. He dialed 911 and gave the details of the accident. He ended the call and gave the phone back to Sam, who was still on the ground.

"Sam, are you okay?"

Sam looked back at him. Her face was pale as moonlight and she was gasping for air.

"Mandy's hurt bad, she needs help!"

Sam swallowed and opened her mouth to answer, but her throat refused to make the words her mind was forming.

Luis walked over to the accident scene and looked into the car and became even more horrified than he already was, if that was possible.

"Senor," he said addressing David "is she dead?"

"No, but she will be if the ambulance doesn't get here soon."

They looked up when they heard the sirens and saw the flashing lights of the ambulance approaching.

"About time."

"Senor, please forgive me."

"Huh?"

"I was the driver of that truck." He indicated the wrecked flatbed down the road.

David looked the frightened man over and lowered his voice to try and calm him down. "What happened?"

"My truck, it…the brakes failed and…I was on the hill and…I couldn't stop and-"

David waved his hand to silence him. "Say no more, I understand. Just don't go anywhere when the cops arrive, okay?"

"Cops?" Luis was now petrified.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's just an accident," said David as the ambulance pulled up. "The police aren't going to arrest you, I'll make sure of that."

"How?"

"I'm an FBI investigator. They'll listen to me."

"FBI?" Luis fainted.

* * *

Sam was still rooted to her spot. A paramedic had to drag her away, so senseless was she. She couldn't take her eyes off Mandy's comatose, blood-splattered face. The cops and paramedics surrounded the car and began prying the door off. It only took a few moments, and when the door came off Mandy slumped over out of the car. The paramedics cut her free and laid her on the ground while another rolled the stretcher to them. The paramedics tied tourniquets on Mandy's open wounds and lifted her onto the stretcher after placing her in a neck brace. Sam felt her stomach flip-flop when one of Mandy's legs flexed in the wrong direction. Blood was everywhere.

Her cell phone hung from her fingers by its tether. She looked at it and had a moment of clarity.

"Clover. She'll need to know about this."

She hesitantly dialed Clover's cell phone, afraid of what was about to happen. Clover answered after a couple of rings.

"Hello?"

"Clover?"

"Hey Sam, what's up?"

Sam swallowed hard. "It's Mandy. She's been in an accident. She's hurt bad. Real bad."

Silence.

Sam heard Clover's trembling breath. "Oh God."

Sam looked back to the accident scene. She heard Clover begin crying on the phone. Mandy was out of sight now, and the ambulance was beginning to pull away. David was trying to revive the truck driver. A cop was approaching her.

"Miss, are you okay?"

Sam felt weak again and leaned on the police officer. "No sir."

Blood was everywhere.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

Clover entered the waiting room and found her world turned upside-down in the space of about thirty minutes. Sam was trying to comfort Phoebe, but was making little progress. Sam looked to Clover in desperation, and Phoebe blew her nose.

"Sammie, what happened?"

"A truck lost its brakes and hit Mandy's car."

"Is she…going to be okay?"

Sam hesitated. "I don't know. She was unresponsive when they pulled her out of the car. She got banged up really bad."

Phoebe sobbed loudly.

"She's in surgery right now."

"Has the doctor said anything?"

Sam recalled the doctor and paramedics calling a slew of medical terminology to one another that went way over her head. "The most I understood was that she's got a concussion and broken bones and lacerations."

Clover thought for a few moments about what all that meant for Mandy. "Oh."

A doctor entered the waiting room. "Miss Phoebe?"

Phoebe looked up. "Yes?"

"You're daughter is going to live."

Phoebe's spirits lifted momentarily, and then the implication hit her. "Will she be okay?"

"Aside from her face, my biggest concern is the potential brain damage."

"Brain damage? Face?"

The doctor nodded. "She was unresponsive all the way into surgery, and we won't know for sure until either she wakes up or we run an MRI. As for her face, I can't tell how bad the scarring will be at this point in time."

Phoebe's countenance crashed. "Oh my God."

Sam placed a hand on Phoebe's shoulder in an effort to console her. Clover was still in a daze.

Clover swallowed. "Can we go see her?"

The doctor nodded. "We just put her into ICU."

"ICU?"

"Yes, at least until we know the extent of the brain damage. You can see her if you like, but she probably won't be waking up anytime soon."

Phoebe slowly stood up. Sam petted her hand. "It's okay, she'll be fine. I'm sure the very best people are taking care of Mandy."

Phoebe nodded slowly and let Sam lead her to the ICU. Clover followed close behind. Everything still felt so surreal.

They rode an elevator up a few floors and then went down a hallway. The doctor showed them to a door and Phoebe paused before going in. She took a deep breath, closed her hand around the handle, and pushed the door open.

Inside, a pair of nurses was making the final adjustments to the monitoring equipment. Sam, Clover, and Phoebe waited for them to finish and leave the room before approaching the bed.

Phoebe took one look at her daughter and disintegrated. Mandy's face was horribly swollen and covered in fresh, bandaged cuts. A bandage was wrapped around her head and covered the largest gash as well as one of her eyes.. A breathing tube was taped under her nose and an intravenous tube dripped medicine into her arm. The monitor beeped rhythmically to indicate that at least Mandy's heart was still working right. Phoebe knelt next to the bed and brushed a strand of hair out of Mandy's face.

"Oh, Mandy." She took Mandy's hand in hers and gently stroked it, hoping to elicit a response from her daughter, but got none.

Sam stood back from them and crossed her arms. It wasn't that she didn't care, but she felt that Phoebe needed to be alone with Mandy.

Clover still felt disoriented as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. When she gazed at Mandy's mangled, comatose face, the nameless fears that were brewing within her surfaced. She suddenly needed a smoke.

Clover leaned close to Sam. "I'm going outside. I need a smoke." She turned and hurried away before Sam could say anything. Sam was just about to follow her, but she wondered if she needed to stay with Mandy and Phoebe. She quietly approached Phoebe from behind.

"Um, Phoebe?"

"It's okay, Sam. You can go. I just want to stay with my little girl a little longer." Her voice was brimming with restrained tears about to burst into the open.

Sam nodded. "Okay." She quietly exited the room and hurried to the elevator.

* * *

A short time later, Sam found Clover at the designated smoking area outside the hospital. She sat at a bench and her cigarette box and lighter lay in front of her open purse. Sam judged by the number of cigarette butts that she'd been chain smoking. 

"Clover, you know smoking is bad enough for your health. You should know better than to-."

"Shove it, Sammie."

Clover said it with such vehemence that she actually startled Sam. "Clover, what's wrong?"

Clover extinguished her cigarette and drew another. "I just realized something – my life may be over."

Sam sat down across from her. "What?"

Clover lit the cigarette. "Mandy and I were a team. She has the business sense to keep us out of the red, and I have the eye for potential that keeps our clients signed."

"You can't be that bad at finances."

"You've never seen my checkbook." Clover pulled her checkbook out of her purse and tossed it to Sam. "Go ahead, take a look at the ledger."

Sam gave Clover a concerned look and flipped open the transaction ledger. Her eyes widened with shock as she scanned the entries. The balance rose and fell like a sine wave, repeatedly coming to the brink of bankruptcy before soaring back up again. Sam closed the checkbook and slid it back to Clover.

"Clover, you really should talk to an accountant. I know plenty of good ones."

Clover waved her cigarette at Sam and traced a thing wisp of smoke through the air between them. "That's beside the point. The point is, I can't do finances. I can spot talent from ten miles off, but I can't do money. Mandy is good with that. Or at least she was."

Sam began to understand Clover's fear. "You're afraid that if Mandy's been permanently damaged, the business will fail."

Clover took a drag and nodded. "That's about it. Without her business sense, our agency would have collapsed years ago."

Sam crossed her arms and set her elbows on the table. "Are you serious? Is the situation that bleak?"

Clover stared at the lit cigarette and tapped the ashes off. "If she's taken major brain damage, then yes, we are sunk. She won't be much use if she can't even add."

They heard someone running up the gravel path and looked to find Alex hurrying to the table. She stopped and leaned on her knees as she caught her breath.

"I heard…I came…as soon as I could…how is she?"

"Still comatose," said Clover with an abundance of melancholy.

"There may be brain damage," said Sam "They won't be sure until they run some more tests."

Alex sat down next to Clover. "What happened?"

"A truck's brakes went out and he T-boned her car. She's lucky to be alive at all."

Clover exhaled a long trail of smoke.

Alex looked downcast. "God, poor Mandy."

Clover extinguished her cigarette and reached for another. Sam reached across the table and snatched the box away. "I think you've had enough."

Clover stared flatly at Sam, ready to explode all over her longtime friend. But the rage subsided and was replaced with sadness. She buried her face in her hands and began crying.

"Why? Why does my life turn out like this? I wanted to be successful, and life just throws crap at me at every turn! I can't hold onto a guy, I can't keep my checking account steady, and now I can't even do what I want to do because my stupid partner went and got her brains scrambled in a stupid wreck!" She slapped her purse off the table with one hand.

Alex leaned over and picked it up. "Clover, it's not your fault."

"I know, and that's what sucks! Nothing's gone right in my life since I graduated. Nothing!"

Alex began rubbing her back. "Clover, that's not true. You've still got us. We'll always be there for you."

Clover sniffled. "Can you wake Mandy up and fix her brain?"

"No, but-"

"Then you're not helping."

"Clover…you're scaring me. Stop acting so…so…hopeless."

"I knew this day would come. It happens all the time in this city. Young girl starts off with big dreams and lots of potential, and gets crushed by fate and circumstance. I'm a textbook example of the Hollywood story. I should be lucky I haven't fallen into drugs or alcoholism yet, or even become a prostitute."

"Clover snap out of it!" Sam commanded. "If you keep thinking this way, nothing will ever get better! I learned that lesson a long time ago, and I know you know it too!"

Clover looked up at Sam with a start. Her eyes were beginning to turn red from her waterworks.

"Sammie…"

Sam softened her tone. "I know you're having a hard time. I know you want to find someone to settled down with. I know you're uncertain about the future. But don't let it consume you. Don't try to do this alone. We're your friends and we love you too much to watch you destroy yourself over something you couldn't prevent."

Alex took Clover's hand. "Come on, let's go visit Mandy, okay?"

Clover nodded. "Okay."

They all stood and headed back to the hospital. Sam offered Clover the cigarettes back.

"No thanks, I think I just smoked half a week's worth today."

* * *

David left the police department and headed back to his car. He had already sent Ruth and Nicholas home so that he could help with the accident investigation, not to mention Luis. Poor Luis had been scared out of his mind. He had only recently received his citizenship, and getting a police record just months after becoming a US citizen was the stuff of nightmares for him. 

David got his keys ready as his mind wandered. _I need to call Alex and see if she'll baby-sit Nicholas. Need to fill the car with gas, pay some bills, and mow the lawn. _

He was at the parking lot security gate when someone stepped out in front of him.

"Excuse me, Agent David?"

"Hmm?"

David looked up and found he was standing beside a beautiful woman of Asian descent.

"Who are you?"

The woman showed David her smile and her badge, which bore the WOOHP symbol. "I'm Britney, and I'm from WOOHP."

"WOOHP?" David became defensive. "What do you want with me?"

Brittany pulled a photo out of her pocket and handed it to David. "My sources tell me that you were contacted yesterday by this man. Am I correct?"

David looked at the picture. It showed a crowd, and in the middle was the gunman who threatened his family. David judged by the clothing styles of the other people that the picture had been taken in the early 80s.

"Yes, but what do you want from me?"

Brittany flashed him a reassuring smile. "Relax, I'm here to help. We are the World Organization of Human Protection, after all."

David handed her the photo. "Yeah, he did contact me. Just yesterday, in fact."

Britney nodded. "As I thought. The man in that picture is a living legend. We've tried to track him unsuccessfully since WOOHP was founded. That picture was taken almost twenty years ago. This is the closest we've come to actually catching him."

"Who is he?"

"He goes by the nickname of Wild Bill. We don't know his real name, or much else for that matter."

"Then what do you know?"

"We believe he's connected with a very old and very powerful crime syndicate that has become active in this area recently."

David recalled Wild Bill's warning about stepping into an ocean of trouble.

"Tell me, the two murder victims from the other day, they were found carrying Russian currency, correct?"

"So there is a mob connection?"

Britney nodded. "More than likely. We also know that a coworker of yours by the name of Arnold Johnson was also threatened."

"Yeah, that Wild Bill mentioned something about that."

"We believe he was contacted by this man." She handed him a photo of another man. He was younger than Wild Bill, with gray streaks running through his slicked-back black hair. He was dressed completely in black, and wore a menacing grin.

"This guy we know nothing about, except that he and Bill were accomplices during the Cold War."

"The Cold War?"

"That's right. These two are legends from the Soviet Union. They vanished after the USSR collapsed, but it seems they've resurfaced for some reason."

"And that reason has to do with the missing data from the FBI database, doesn't it?"

Britney nodded. "Correct." She looked at David seriously. "Listen, I'm going to have to ask you and Arnold to continue your investigations."

"Why?"

"Because you're getting close to something important and you can't let yourselves be bullied into submission."

"He threatened my family. What am I supposed to do?"

"WOOHP will do everything in our power to protect your family. We need your cooperation right now, David. What you've stumbled upon is something WOOHP has been involved in for over thirty years." She handed him her card and a remote with a single button. "If you need help, either call me on that number or press that button. I wouldn't use the button except as a last resort if I were you, though."

"Why not?"

Britney rubbed her butt and looked uneasy. "Let's just say it's unpleasant."

David raised an eyebrow. "Okay, if you say so. You're the WOOHP agent, not me."

"Good! Like I said, if Wild Bill or that other man ever contacts you again, don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help."

"I will. Thanks Britney."

"No problem."

David opened his cell phone and called Alex. Britney walked away from David and opened her X-Powder. "Henry, I gave David the contact info. What do you need me to do now?"

The image of a serious-looking man with thinning blonde hair appeared. "Good work, Britney." His British accent was rich and cultivated. "Keep an eye on David for the time being. WOOHP's resources are at your disposal until I return from Korea."

"Does that mean I can use the WOOHP credit card for a shopping spree?"

Henry laughed. "Over my dead body."

"I can have that arranged!"

"Don't push your luck, Britney. Just report back if you find anything."

"Roger. I've got everything under control here." She shut off the X-Powder and put it away. She flipped her raven hair behind her and strolled down the street.

* * *

When the girls got back to the recovery ward, they found Mandy's room empty. Clover ran to the nurses' station in a panic and asked, "Where's Mandy?" 

"Mandy?" said the nurse. "Oh, the head trauma. The doctor decided to go ahead and perform an MRI."

"Where's that?"

The nurse gave them directions to the MRI station.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

The girls made their way across the hospital to the MRI station. Inside, they found Phoebe in a room with a few technicians. The technicians had their eyes glued to the instrument panels and screens, while Phoebe looked into the other room through a Plexiglas window. On the other side, Mandy lay inside the machine and it was scanning her head. Phoebe looked on, worried but hopeful.

"Oh, Clover, hi."

"Hey Phoebe. Any progress yet?"

Phoebe dabbed a tear from her eye. "They haven't found anything yet, but they only just got started."

Sam watched with fascination as the screens changed every few seconds to show a wealth of data about Mandy's head. Normally she would have cracked a joke about the results all reading zero, but now was a bad time for that. Still, she had to stifle a laugh as the thought ran through her mind.

One of the technicians noticed her keen interest in the machine. "Cool, huh?"

"Yeah. Part of me always wanted to be a doctor. Medicine always fascinated me."

"So what did you do instead?"

"Went to Harvard and got a degree in Political Science."

"Planning on doing any graduate work?"

"No, why?"

"Just wondering. This is part of my graduate work for medical school. I'm studying to become a neurosurgeon."

"Really? Wow." She watched the screens for a little while. "Have you found anything yet?"

"Besides her brain, no. I haven't seen any damage yet, but we're just getting started."

Alex was talking with Phoebe in hushed tones.

"I'll be glad to offer Mandy physical therapy when she gets out of this."  
Phoebe looked at Alex suspiciously. "Weren't you one of those kids that picked on her in high school?"

Alex blushed. "I swear we did nothing she didn't warrant already!"

"How can I be sure you won't take your revenge on Mandy after all these years when her life is in your hands?"

"Just talk to anyone who's been my patient! They won't be able to recommend a better therapist!"

"This is Beverly Hills. I'm sure I could find a better one with more experience."

"Not at my rates, you won't."

"Oh really?"

"Nope!"

Phoebe studied Alex intently. "I'll think about it."

"Please do. I'll take good care of Mandy. I promise."

Hours later, the MRI finished. Technicians removed Mandy from the machine and placed her back on a gurney and rolled her out of the lab. The chief technician spoke to Phoebe.

"We'll go over the results to get a more detailed picture of what happened. As far as I can tell, it doesn't look like there was any major damage."

"Oh thank God."

"But we're still going to monitor her closely. There's no telling if any complications may arise from the injury."

Phoebe nodded. "Thank you Doctor."

Phoebe and the doctor left the lab together, but the girls stayed behind.

Alex shook her head. "Poor Mandy."

"Where did David go?" asked Clover.

"He stayed at the accident scene and went with the police to make sure that driver wasn't unfairly charged."

"Oh, okay." Clover sighed. "Sammie, I hope that stuff you said about not giving up is true."

Sam grew concerned. "Why?"

"Because, if this really is the end of the line for me and Mandy, I don't know what I'll do."

"Clover, you know that whatever happens, we're right here for you."

"I know. Thanks."

Alex's cell phone rang and she answered it. "Hello? Oh hey David! What? Oh, I'd love to! Eight O'Clock? I'll be there! Bye!" She closed the phone.

"What was that all about?" asked Sam.

"David just asked me to baby-sit Nicholas."

Sam pouted. "I'm so jealous."

Clover tossed her hair back. "Kids. Who needs 'em?"

"Me, for one."

"Don't you think there's enough people on the planet as it is, Alex?"

Alex looked hurt and her eyes began misting over. "But, none of them are mine!" she whined.

"That's not the point!"

Alex pouted. "You can come over and help if you want."

Clover hesitated, and relented. "Eight O'clock, right?"

"You betcha. Sam, you want to come over too?"

Sam sighed. "I'd love to, but I really need to talk to Brad tonight."

"Okay. Say, did you ever decide on our shopping spree?"

"Oh, right, umm…how about Friday?"  
"Sounds good. I'll see you there."

"You too. Sam started to leave. "Take care of yourselves, alright?"

"You too, Sammie," said Alex and Clover as they waved goodbye.

* * *

Late that night, Mandy woke up.

* * *

Author's Note: I've written this thing through chapter 10 already, but I'm going to have to put any further work on hold while I finish up the semester and get back into a good rhythm again. So, expect a haitus after the tenth chapter, and then I'll be back in full form again. Peace out!  



	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

The next morning brought the promise of new life and renewed hope for some, and the dread of a long-expected calamity for others. Alex wheeled Mandy back to her apartment in a wheelchair and expounded her expertise as a physical therapist to the injured woman. Mandy's left leg was in a cast, and her left arm hung in a sling. .

"Now remember, no strenuous activity. Your bones need a good long time to heal, and if you move them too much they won't knit right, understand?"

"Alex, I appreciate the physical therapy, but I'm not a total ditz about medicine."

"I know! I just want to make sure you recover properly, is all."

"Thanks for the sentiment Alex, but right now I need some peace and quiet. My head's killing me."

"That's just until the pain killers kick in. You'll feel all better once they do."

"Well they'd better, because I can't work at all when I'm sick."

"Well taking care of sick people is my job, so don't you worry about a thing!"

"By the way, where is Clover? Mom said she was really upset yesterday."

"Yeah, no kidding. She kept thinking her life was over if it turned out you were going to be a vegetable. She's already at the apartment. She was really tired today."

"Well I won't bother her. I'm just going to veg out in front of the TV all day. Not usually a luxury I can afford."

Alex grinned guiltily, but Mandy couldn't see her. "Yeah, peace and quite is all you really need right now."

She wheeled Mandy to the apartment and opened the door.

"Alex, why is the apartment so dark?"

"Maybe Clover's out?"

"I though you said she was tired and went home?"

"Maybe by home she meant her mom's house?"  
Mandy eyed Alex suspiciously. "For the person who's in charge of my well-being, you're being really evasive."  
"Evasive? Me? Don't be ridiculous!"

She pushed Mandy inside the apartment and flipped the lights on.

"WELCOME BACK, MANDY!"

Everyone was there. Sam, Clover, Phoebe, David, Mark, Brad, Ruth, Arnold, Nicholas and the rest of her friends were waiting for her in the apartment.

Mandy started choking up. "You didn't!"  
Phoebe embraced her daughter. "Oh, Mandy! I'm so glad you're okay! Don't you ever let anything like that happen again!"

"Mother, please!" Mandy looked over her mom's shoulder at Sam. "Sam, was this your idea?"

Sam brushed her hair back. "Partially. Everyone had a hand in it, really."

"You too, Clover?"

"Well yeah! You can't honestly plan a party without me, can you?"

Mandy fixed her jaw and looked around at the decorations and the lavish feast on the table. "We should have gone into catering."

"Not on your life, Mandy."

Mandy was right at home as the party's center of attention. Everyone greeted her as a prodigal child, home at last from a disastrous trip abroad. All that was missing was the fattened calf. Not that they would have had one anyway with Clover being a vegetarian, but the fact remained that a feast was laid out for her and the guests.

The party was going splendidly. Ruth, Mandy, and Alex were playing with Nicholas. He had already taken a liking to Alex after she'd baby sat him and had no qualms about Ruth handing him over to Alex from time to time. Ruth had also taken a liking to Alex and she was much more comfortable about letting Alex handle the baby. Nicholas still didn't trust Mandy, however, and regarded her as a stranger. Every time Mandy started to reach for Nicholas, he'd cling tightly to Alex or Ruth, whoever was holding him at the time.

Mandy sat back in her wheelchair. "Hmph! All the kids I ever baby-sat loved me. What's wrong with him?"

Ruth balanced him on her knees. "It's probably your hair. He doesn't like people with long, dark hair like yours for some reason."

"What? I'll have him know that hair this good is hard to come by!"

Ruth smiled and ran her fingers through her curls. "He's probably just too accustomed to my hair, is all."

Mandy scrutinized Alex as Nicholas crawled to her. "Alex has dark hair, He doesn't seem to mind her!"

Alex picked up Nicholas and sat him in her lap. "That's because I'm a sweet, gentle person. Isn't that right, Nick?"

"Hey! Are you suggesting I'm not a nice person?"

Alex laughed. "Lighten up, Mandy. I'm only kidding!" She slapped the cast on Mandy's leg, sending rivulets of pain through Mandy's bones.

"OW! Alex!"

"Oops! Sorry!"

Mandy held her leg and grimaced for a moment until the discomfort subsided. "You're supposed to be taking care of me, remember?"

Alex let Nicholas crawl back to his mother. "I said I was sorry!"

Nicholas looked up at his mother, and then his face fell and he started crying.

Alex held up her hands. "Ah! What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Ruth picked up Nicholas and tried to shush him. "No, he's just hungry." She stood up and grabbed a blanket out of her bag. "I'll go feed him. We'll be right back, okay?"

"No problem," said Alex.

"Don't be too long," said Mandy. After Ruth left, Mandy leaned closer to Alex. "How could she tell he's hungry? He sounded like any other baby I've ever heard cry."

Alex shrugged. "Mothers just know things like that about their children."

Mandy shrugged. "I guess. Say, that reminds me, when are you going to have yours?"

Alex blushed. "Well, not until we move into a real house. Then we'll work on a family."

Mandy raised an eyebrow. "I never took you for being that patient, Alex. You sure you're not telling me something?"

Alex crossed her arms and huffed. "Marriage changes things. Sometimes you have to be really patient and wait a long time for the things you want. Mark and I have waited this long for a child. I think we can wait a little longer."

Mandy laughed and threw up her hands in a gesture of innocence. "Calm down. I didn't mean anything by it."

Alex grinned. "No hard feelings, then?"

"Of course not. I am the center of attention today, after all."

Alex continued grinning and spoke through her teeth. "That you are."

* * *

David motioned Arnold away from everyone else and they retreated to the far side of the room. They made sure everyone else was occupied and then spoke in hushed tones. 

"Have you done any more investigation into the file theft?" asked David.

Arnold nodded. "Of course. If it's worth getting threatened over it must be something big, so I kept digging, though not so deeply this time."

"Find anything?"

"Yeah. The invasion was from outside the system, so we can rule out an inside job and now we know we're dealing with an A-class hacker."

"Good, then we can rule out sabotage. Anything else?"  
Arnold cleared his throat. "I managed to figure out the hacker's handle. She calls herself Arachne."

"She? How can you be sure it's a woman?"

"Hackers usually use handles that correspond to their gender. Since ours used the name of the Greek spider goddess, I can only assume it's a woman."

"Any idea where it came from yet?"

Arnold shook his head. "No. I haven't gone that deep yet. I'm not sure how deep I can go before I'm noticed again."

"Then keep trying. We can't let this cool off."

"David, some guy practically materialized in my apartment and threatened to paint the walls with my brains!"

"And another one forced his way into my home and threatened to murder my wife and son."

Arnold's mouth opened in shock. "You too?"

David nodded. "We're on to something here, and someone doesn't like it."

Arnold thought for a moment. "Tell me, who came to your place?"

David held up the picture Britney had given him. "This guy. Calls himself Wild Bill and packs a pair of revolvers. And you?"

Arnold shuddered. "Some really creepy dude. Dressed in black, kind of old-looking, and had this really oily voice that just made my stomach turn."

David showed him the other picture Britney gave him. "Did he look anything like this?"

Arnold looked at the photo and gasped. "That's him!"

"What's his name?"

"He never said, and I'd rather not know, to tell the truth."

David checked the party. "Arnold, I've got a feeling you and I are going to learn a lot of things we'd rather not know before this is over."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that."

"Listen, someone is using violent threats to try and keep us quiet. If something bad is going down, I can't let it continue. You keep investigating the database thefts, and I'll back you up with whatever I can find."

Arnold sighed with a little confidence in his breath. "Alright, I'll keep looking and tell you anything I find. Just watch my back for me, okay?"

David winked. "No prob. I've got you covered." _And WOOHP has us both covered_ he didn't add.

* * *

"This one's not going anywhere," said Phoebe. 

"What? Why not?" asked Clover.

"His face is all wrong, that's why."

Sam looked at the picture. "I think he's rather handsome."

"In French cinema, yeah. But he won't get anywhere stateside with a face like that. Send him to France so he can build some credibility first."

Clover threw Phoebe an evil look and turned the page.

"So Clover," said Phoebe, "how have you and Mandy been getting along? I know you used to hate each other's guts."

Clover shrugged, remembering the battle royal from the other day. "As well as roommates get along with each other."

"That's good." She turned the page and went "ooh!" at a gorgeous young woman.

"So I guess the agency is out of danger?" asked Sam.

Clover nodded. "Yep. Looks like Mandy didn't suffer any major brain damage, so we're still in business!"

"Great!"

"Yeah, no kidding! I tell you what, Sam, that accident opened my eyes. As of today, me and Mandy are pulling up all the stops! From now on, we won't settle for any less than the best!"

"Glad to hear it."

"I know I'm still destined for greatness, and by God, I won't let anything stand in my way ever again!"

"Any obstacles you can think of right now?"

"Yes, actually. I broke it off with Roland last night!"

Sam gaped. "Clover, you only dated him for a week!"

"Ah, you didn't know him like I did. He was a total stumbling block."

"Know him? You barely knew him better than I did!"

"Oh, what do you know, Miss LeCheau?"

Sam blushed. "Hey! I'm not married yet."

Clover shrugged. "Eh, you practically are already. I might as well get used to it now before the wedding."

"My name's still Simpson. Not LeCheau."

"Whatever. Now, I've got to tell you all about the bridesmaid's dresses!"

"You picked them out?"

"Yes! They're perfect. They accentuate my natural good looks, but they won't overshadow your wedding gown! And I talked with the wedding planner and got the setup for the chapel, and they go perfect with the setting!" She looked at Sam happily and started choking up. "Oh Sammie, you're going to have the most beautiful wedding!" She embraced Sam and started sobbing into her shoulder. Sam gave Phoebe a helpless look, and Phoebe shrugged back.

Sam gently pushed Clover back and held her shoulders in a consoling gesture. "It's okay, Clover. There's no need to be sad! I'm not going anywhere!"

Clover wiped her eyes. "I'm not sad! I'm just…so…happy for," her eyes welled up with tears and her lips trembled, "uwaaaugh!" She buried her face in Sam's shoulder and broke down again.

All Sam could do was pat Clover on the back and wait for the waterworks to end.

Alex wheeled Mandy over. "Clover, don't cry! We're still here for you, even if we are married!"

"I think someone needs a stiff drink," said Mandy.

"Do you mind?" asked Clover between sobs.

"I'll get it!" said Alex. She went to the kitchen and searched around until she found a bottle of Bourbon and poured a small glass. She offered the dark-colored drink to Clover.

"Thanks," she said, letting go of Sam. The Bourbon slid down her throat like liquid fire and warmed her stomach. She felt her spirits lift and her eyes dry. "Ahh, thanks Alex. I needed that."

"No problem!"

Clover reached for the French Onion dip. "So anyway, I've got the bridesmaid's dresses picked out, and all I need is your approval."

Sam clapped her hands together. "Great! I'm sure they look perfect, knowing you."

"Well duh, it's me we're talking about. By the way, have you picked out your dress yet?"

Sam nervously bit her finger. "Uhh, I was going to pick it up next week."

Clover and Alex stared at her flatly.

Sam sighed. "Okay, I admit. I've been so busy lately I haven't actually had time to get the dress."

"Sam!"

"I know! I know! But things have been getting pretty hectic lately. I passed on that job with the Governor and-"

Clover gasped. "You did what?"

"I passed on that job in Sacramento and took one with Mr. Tsubaki."

Clover continued gaping. "Sammie, are you brain-damaged or something? That was like a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Sam sighed. "I know, but I still passed on it." She looked up at them. "I decided you two were more important to me than working for the Governor."

Clover's eyes started welling up again, and Alex smiled softly.

"Hey! What about me?" said Mandy.

Sam grinned guiltily. "Uh, yeah! I was totally thinking about you, Mandy!"

Mandy huffed and grabbed a finger sandwich.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Clover.

"Mr. Tsubaki offered me a position in the company after next week."

"What is it?"

"I'll be part of a team that oversees the company's international relations."

"Wow, congratulations Sam!"

"Yeah, he says he's already got a project lined up for me, but he won't tell me any details."

"So what about Brad? Will he still work for the Commerce Department?"

"Yeah, his job allows him more flexibility as far as locations go, so he can work remotely."

"So you're not moving out of Los Angeles?"  
Sam shook her head. "Nope!"

Clover's emotional dam burst. "Sammie!" She hugged Sam tightly and bawled.

Alex stood back up. "I'll pour some more Bourbon."

* * *

"So you're in the Commerce Department?" Mark asked Brad. 

"Yep."

"How's that?"

"Not too bad. It keeps me busy."

"Not too busy for Sam, I hope?"

Brad shrugged. "Unfortunately, it does at times."

"I know how that feels. Air Force goes and calls me off for weeks at a time. Makes for a very lonely wife."

Brad grinned. "Bet she's a barrel of monkeys when you get home."

Mark took a sip from his drink. "Brother, you don't know the half of it."

"So what do you do in the Air Force?"

"I read and interpret maps, then send the data to whoever needs it. AWACS, fighters, transports, and so on."

"I see. So what do you do when you're not on duty?"

"I teach part-time at Beverly Hills CC."

"Really? What do you teach?"

"Information Systems."

"Sounds like fun. What's it pay?"

Mark snorted a laugh. "Better than the Air Force."

"Really? So why don't you withdraw?"

Mark shrugged. "I'm entirely too loyal, I guess."

Brad raised his glass to him. "Good, not enough good men in the armed forces anyway."

Mark looked at Alex over at the table. "It would be nice if we didn't need an Air Force. Or an Army, you know?"

"Yeah it would. But you and I both know people won't let that happen. We're far too independent to work in harmony."

"I was thinking people are just assholes."

"Yeah, that too."

Mark and Brad observed their women from across the room. Mark sighed as he gazed at Alex and took a sip from his drink. "So, I heard Sam turned down that job."

Brad's face noticeably darkened. "Yeah, she did. She decided to choose her friends over her career."

"Well good for her!"

"Yeah, but it does sort of suck on some levels. I really busted my ass pulling so many strings, and then she goes and does something completely different." The look he gave Sam right then caused Mark to shiver.

"Well what can you do? It's her career. She can take it in whatever direction she wants."

"I know but, I really busted my hump for her, and now I have to flush all that work down the drain."

"Well I'm sure she appreciates the effort."

"She does. But still, I'm trying to help her get a good career, and she settles for second best. That's just not like her at all."

"I have to admit, choosing between the ones you love and a promising career can't be easy. I'm sure she made the right choice."

Brad sighed. "I hope you're right."

Mark slapped him on the back. "Relax, man! Money isn't everything. I mean, look at me! Alex and I make just enough to get by and put money away for the house, but we're still happy."

"Yeah, but she deserves better. It's just not like her to pass up an opportunity like that."

Mark studied Sam. She was chatting with Clover and Alex while Mandy and Phoebe went to the back to see Ruth. She looked positively happy there, in the company of her lifelong friends.

"Maybe she readjusted her priorities."

"Oh?"

"Maybe she decided that her loved ones are more important than her job."

"Or her future?"  
"Maybe. Maybe she sees her future in them."

Brad shrugged. "I just don't know. I don't think I'll ever understand her."

"Hey, I've been married to Alex for almost two years and I haven't begun to fathom her."

"I'll drink to that."

Mark and Brad touched their glasses together and downed the last drops of their drinks.

* * *

"So Sammie," said Clover, "what are your plans now?" 

"Well, after that project Mr. Tsubaki has for me, I'll get hopping on the wedding."

"And after that?"

"The honeymoon!"

"And that?"

Sam hesitated. "I don't know, I haven't thought that far in advance yet."

Clover eyed her suspiciously. "You've fallen off, Sam. I thought you had your whole life planned out, but now you're starting to improvise all of a sudden. That's not like you."

"Well that's what I get for changing my plans so suddenly."

Clover shook her head. "Sammie, you've changed, girl."

Sam laughed. "Don't I know it!"

Alex finished a finger sandwich. "So when's our shopping spree?"

"Our what?"

"Sam! Don't you remember? We were going on a shopping spree!"

Sam thought for a moment. "Oh yeah! We were!"

"Are!"

"Yes, are! Sorry, my mind's been in a hundred places lately."

Alex huffed. "Okay, so when?"

"How about, oh, Friday?"

Alex ran her schedule through her head. "Sounds good!"

"How about you, Clover?"

Clover nodded. "Fine with me." She turned to Mandy. "Think you can take care of yourself while I'm gone?"

Mandy snorted. "I'm not totally helpless, unlike you."

"Mandy, shut up."

"Make me!"

"I will throw you out of this apartment!"

Mandy cackled. "Ha! This apartment is leased in _my_ name, Clover. Legally, I can kick you out for any reason I want!"

Clover stuck her tongue out at Mandy. "But you won't because you need me."

Mandy flushed as fires burned in her eyes. "Yeah, well, so what if I do!"

Clover grinned triumphantly. _Score one for team Clover._

Sam cleared her throat to bring their attention back to the matter at hand. "Okay then, Friday it is. We'll meet at the Beverly Hills Mall at about ten and make a day of it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Alex and Clover chimed together.

* * *

Many hours later, Clover and Mandy bid Sam, Alex, and their men goodnight and were once again by themselves in their apartment. Clover took one look at the mess around them and had no intention of cleaning it up tonight. 

Instead, she flopped down on the couch and exhaled loudly. Mandy wheeled herself around and sat back in her wheelchair. She rubbed her left arm, which was still sore from the wreck and hanging in a sling.

"How's the leg?" asked Clover.

"Not too bad. The doctor said it'll be about three weeks before I can take it off. He says the bones were broken pretty bad. But what I'm really worried about is this," she indicated the bandage around her head that hid her stitches. What it didn't hide were the smaller cuts on her face and the awful swelling and bruises from the wreck.

"Will there be any scarring?"

Mandy shrugged. "Probably. But nothing a good surgeon can't fix."

"Good to hear." Clover leaned back in the couch and stared at the ceiling. "So I guess it's business as usual now, huh?"

Mandy looked at her flatly. "Clover, the office doesn't have wheelchair access."

"What? Oh, you're right! Agh, I guess you'll have to work from here, then."

"You know, we could totally get in trouble. Our office totally violates the disability act."

"You and I both knew that when we bought it. We couldn't afford anything better."

Clover thought for a moment. "As soon as we get some capital, let's move into a better office. What do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan. Hey, could you toss me my cigarettes?"

Clover grabbed them off the table and tossed them in Mandy's lap.

"Thanks," she said as she lit up.

Clover stared at the coffee table, now littered with plastic cups and Styrofoam plates. She sighed and stood up to begin clearing it.

"Hey, that's right," said Mandy. "You'll have to do all the cleaning until I get better."

"Hmm? Why do you bring that up?"

"Think you can handle it, Clover?"

"Are you saying I'm a slob?"

"Maaybe."

"I am so not a slob!"

"Oh yeah? When was the last time you saw the floor in your room?"

"Just last week." Clover slapped herself in the face. "Oh no, I just admitted you were right."

"I know."

"You were right and I was wrong!"

"Hey yeah!" Mandy laughed her high-pitched laugh and Clover felt like crawling into a hole. _Score one for team Mandy._


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

A salty sea breeze kissed the city of Los Angeles good morning and went on its way to wake the sun.

Sam got up with the sun and dressed quickly. She loaded her gym bag with her sports bra and biking shorts as well as her makeup kit and a Nalgene bottle. She looked over her suit one last time and took it out of the closet, grabbed her keys and cell phone, turned the answering machine on, and went down to her car. It was still early, so her neighbors were either asleep or just getting up, so she left the building without seeing a soul.

She stepped outside and paused to fill her lungs with the salty sea air. She exhaled sharply and set off to her car with a little extra bounce in her heels, invigorated by the crisp, tangy breeze.

Sam walked to her car and hung her suit in the back seat before tossing her bag on the passenger floorboard. She got in and just inserted the key in the ignition before her cell phone went off.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sam."

"Hi Brad! What's up besides you?"

"Not much. Listen, about the governor's job-"

Sam laughed. "Don't worry sweetie. I already have something lined up."

"Oh, did Tsubaki give you that job?"

Sam nodded even though he couldn't see her. "Yep. He's already got my first project lined up, too."

"Great! What is it?"

"He won't tell me yet. He was still ironing out the details last I heard." Sam turned the ignition and started the car.

"I see. Well, let me know when he does. I'm sure I can help you out if you need it."

Sam put the car in gear. "We'll see. Anything else?"

"Well, I was looking into a job with the mayor of LA for you, but it looks like you've got it covered."

"Yeah, but I appreciate the thought."

"No prob, Sammie. I got to go, but I'll talk to you tonight, okay?"

"Okay. Bye!"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Sam ended the call and pulled out of the parking lot. The last traces of fog were burning away under the morning sun as she turned onto the road and started toward the gym. She drove past her residential district into a commercial district. She took the road all the way down, almost to the warehouse district until her gym appeared. She parked and tossed her suit over her shoulder and snatched up her bag and headed inside. She gave the front desk a genial smile and signed in.

"Morning, Sam."

"Morning, Phil."

"Everything okay?"

She flipped her hair back behind her and smiled. "Couldn't be better!"

"Glad to hear it. How's the wedding going?"

"It's getting there. How's Aileen?"

"Better. She finally got over her bronchitis yesterday."

"Well that's good to hear. Anyway, nice talking to you!" She turned and headed for the ladies' locker room.

"Have a good workout."

Sam opened her locker and hung her suit inside. She set the bag on the bench beside her and opened it. She changed into her workout clothes and stuffed her t-shirt and shorts in the bag and put it in the locker. She tied her hair back and laced up her tennis shoes and started stretching.

Another woman walked in and opened her locker.

"Sam Simpson. I can tell when I'm on time when I walk in and you're doing knee bends."

"Hey Gloria. Anything new?"

"Not today, no. How about you?"

Sam stretched her calf muscles. "Same here. Just planning the wedding and taking care of business."

"That's good to hear. Doing your usual today?"

Sam thought about it as she stood up and stretched her sides. "Nah, I think I'll just do cardio today. I'm not in the mood for weights."

Gloria pulled on her shoes. "Okay then. I'll probably join you in a while."

"Okay. See you in a few."

"See you later."

Sam walked through the mostly empty weight room. Only a few men were using the machines right now, but that didn't stop them from stealing glances at Sam as she passed. Sam simply ignored them and maintained an aura of inaccessibility, making sure to flash her engagement ring as much as possible even as she swayed her hips just a little extra, much to the disappointment of the young men.

She reached the cardio room and, without paying much attention to the other machines, got on an elliptical machine next to another woman. She programmed her workout and began turning the pedals as she put the headphones on and tuned the built-in TV screen to a news station.

"The North and South Korean leaders," began the anchor, "agreed to a short recess over the weekend to evaluate their positions and take a break from the tense negotiation process. Henry Bradford, who has mediated the talks for the past week, gave the Associated Press his full attention yesterday to answer some questions at a brief news conference."

The image changed to show Henry standing behind a podium in a conference room. He looked calm and focused up, much like he always was, which is part of why he made the perfect choice to succeed Jerry.

Sam sighed. _But he's still no Jerry. _

"Something the matter?" said the woman on the machine beside her.

"No, not really. I was just thinking about a friend of mine who's moved away."

"What's his name?"

"Jerry. Jerry Lewis."

"I knew him. Great guy. Really stiff, though."

"Yeah, but that's what I-" Sam looked up and found Alex grinning at her.

"Alex!" she exclaimed as she yanked the headphones off her head and let them hang around her neck. "What are you doing here?"

"What's it look like? I'm working out."

Clover leaned out from the other side of Alex and waved. "Hey, Sammie!"

"Clover! What are you guys doing here?"

"Working out," they chimed.

"No, no I meant all the way over here. You guys live across town from here. There's like ten gyms on the way over."

"That may be true," said Clover as she wiped the sweat from her brow, "but you go to this one."

"How did you find out?"

"At the party yesterday. Brad mentioned that you go to this gym and we decided to come, too."

"But you're not members. How did you get in?"

Alex held up a gift card. "Brad gave us these since we're your friends. It's good for a whole month!"

Sam's face was already red from the exercise, but it turned a deeper shade of red at the thought of Brad's generosity. "That fink! He could have at least told me you were coming!"

"Well it was just going to be me, and I wasn't, but then Clover called me last night and asked to go with me, and then we decided to use these gift cards and came here."

"Did he tell you when I work out, too?"  
Alex nodded.

"That kind, charming, handsome fink!"

Alex and Clover laughed and they focused on their workouts for a while. Sam felt her sweat rise and coat her skin, lending it a faint shimmer. Alex and Clover had been at it for some time, and had worked themselves into a good sweat already.

Sam felt her breath shorten, and soon she was breathing rapidly to supply her body with much-needed oxygen. She felt drops run down her temples and her bra dampened with the increasing intensity of the workout. Her legs began burning and she turned the pedals more slowly with each passing minute as the machine continued to turn up its resistance and the program reached its climax. Just when she felt that she couldn't turn the pedals another revolution, the machine relaxed its grip on them and the pedals began turning more freely, allowing Sam's legs to relax and go back to normal.

Finally, the program ended and Sam stood on the machine, leaning on the console and fighting to catch her breath. Alex and Clover's workouts ended as well and they all stood in the same position, soaked in sweat and recovering their breath.

Alex climbed off her machine first. "Wow, that felt great!" she said between breaths.

Clover climbed down. "Yeah. It's been awhile since I've done anything that intense."

Sam climbed down and steadied herself on the machine. Her workout programs were always intense. "You guys like the place?"

"Yeah!" they answered.

Sam stood still and breathed deeply to try and calm her heart rate. Her face lit up with a brilliant idea. "I know! How about we make this a regular thing?"

Alex toweled the sweat from her eyes. "Sure, why not? At least it's productive." She stretched her arms over her head and stood on her toes to stretch her entire body. Sam looked closely at her bare, smooth stomach and grinned.

"No kids yet, I see."

Alex covered her stomach with her hands and blushed. "Sammie! Don't joke about that! This is a very serious issue between me and Mark!"

"Of course, which means we get to make fun of it."

"Nuh-uh! That's mean!"

Sam laughed and squeezed Alex's shoulder. "Come on Alex, we're your friends. We'd never be mean about it."

Alex crossed her arms and pouted. "We'll see how you like it when you want to have a baby."

Clover finished catching her breath and untied her t-shirt to wipe her face with the tail. "I don't know about you two, but I'm hitting the showers."

"Yeah, me too," said Sam. "Not a good idea to walk into a professional office smelling like a gym."

Alex took one final deep breath and her breathing returned to normal. "Same here. And I have to stand right next to my clients to work with them. And believe me, not all of them bathe regularly."

They quickly showered and changed into their work attire. Sam was the most professionally dressed, wearing a dark suit with a knee-length skirt that exhibited power and ambition, but still just a little flirty. Clover was more casually dressed in a silk blouse and brightly colored skirt that was less professional and more like something she'd wear on a date. Alex was the most plainly dressed in a pair of slacks and a collared shirt.

"Alex, they make you wear the gaudiest things at that place," said Clover disapprovingly.

"Don't I know it? But I'd rather get someone's body fluids on this than my favorite outfit."

"Eww, nast!"

Sam tied her still-damp hair into a tight bun and secured it with a pair of ivory pins. "That was fun, girls! We should totally do this more often."

"Yeah!" said Alex. "I'm gonna join this place and come work out with you."

"Same here," said Clover. "All my work is making me soft."

"Awesome!" said Sam. "And tomorrow, it's shop 'till we drop!"

"And how!" exclaimed the other two. They were feeling like kids again. The feeling invigorated them and filled them with new life. The troubles of taxes and bills and insurance felt remote in the nearness of one another. It was like old times, but it wasn't like old times. After all, they weren't girls any more; they were grown women with jobs and homes of their own. It was more like they were the same friends they had always been, just grown up.

Sam picked up her bag and opened Nalgene bottle and gulped down a long draught of icy water. "I gotta get going. Tsubaki gets all kinds of mad when I'm late."

"Me too," said Alex. "I've got a patient first thing today."  
"And I've got to be there for a client's audition for a big role."

Sam studied her flirtatious outfit. "Hoping to charm him into the role?"

Clover spread her arms and looked at herself. "What? This outfit is perfectly fine! Only a total pervert would think anything of it!"

"Then you might want to button that last button."

"What? And look like some uptight pro? I don't think so!"

"Sammie's got a point, Clover. That blouse is way too flirty."

"Tch, even after all these years, you two know next to nothing about real fashion."

Alex and Sam rolled their eyes and shouldered their bags. "See you tomorrow, Clover."

"Bye Sammie!" said Clover as she dug her compact out of her bag. As she did so, something round, pink, and familiar fell out of her bag and slid off the bench onto the floor. It was Clover's X-Powder.

Sam and Alex stared at it and Clover froze.

"Clover, you still keep that thing around?" asked Alex.

Clover flustered. "Yeah, I still carry it with me. Not much good since Jerry deactivated it, though."

"So why do you keep it?"

"Didn't you keep yours?"

"Well yeah, but I don't take it with me everywhere."

"Seriously Clover, what gives?" asked Sam.

Clover picked up her X-Powder and started playing with it. "I guess…I still hope on some level that we'll become spies again. I just miss the excitement from those days, you know? Sure my work has its share of surprises on a daily basis, but it pales in comparison to saving the world."

"So you're hoping that WOOHP will give you a call one day, years after retiring?"

"No, it's not like that. I just keep it with me to remind me of all the times we had. No, that's not right either. I guess it's kind of like a security blanket. When things get tough in my life, I see this thing and remember I've been through worse, and whatever I'm going through seems less difficult."

She held the X-Powder and looked to Sam and Alex, fully expecting a torrent of ridicule. Instead, Alex smiled.

"You know, I still keep mine on my dresser. It reminds me of you guys every time I see it, and that makes me feel less lonely when Mark's off on duty."

Clover looked to Sam. "How about you?"

Sam shifted her weight onto one foot. "It's in a box somewhere. I really haven't thought about it much at all."

"I don't blame you. You've been busy."

"Yeah." Sam looked at her watch. "Well, I have to go. See you two tomorrow!"

"Bye Sammie!" they chimed.

Clover started applying her makeup as Alex pulled on some clean socks.

"Sam didn't seem to happy to see that thing," Alex remarked.

Clover slipped the X-Powder into her bag. "Yeah I noticed. What's her problem? It's just a keepsake."

Alex paused as she laced up her shoes. "Is there something she's not telling us?"

Clover put her makeup kit away. "Sam keeping secrets? That's not like her."

"I know." Alex's voice showed concern. "I think we should look into that."

"How? Sam stopped keeping diaries a long time ago."

"Easy, we go through Brad."

Clover started. "Are you sure?"

"He already hooked us up with the gift cards, why shouldn't we try again with something important?"

Clover pursed her lips, and then smiled. "Sure! I think Sam needs a good digging-into."

Alex chuckled. "Glad you agree."

* * *

Sam walked into the office right on time and in a hurry. She gave a quick hello to her coworkers and sat down at her desk to begin her day's work. No sooner had she begun when Tsubaki's secretary walked up. 

"Mr. Tsubaki wants you in his office, right now."

"Now?"

"Yes."

Sam sighed and put her work down. "I'm coming." She stood up and walked down the short hallway to Dr. Tsubaki's office. The secretary buzzed her in and Sam took a moment to straighten her suit before walking in. She walked in and found Tsubaki speaking with another man in an expensive suit. Sam froze when the man's name dawned on her.

"Henry! What are you doing here?"

He turned and smiled cordially to her. "Good morning Sam. I was just visiting an old friend."

"Old friend?" she looked at Tsubaki.

"Yes," said the old man, "Henry and I have known each other for a long time. He was one of my students once when I taught for a couple of years at Cambridge."

"You also failed me."

Tsubaki laughed. "You only fail yourself, Henry."

"So what is this about?" asked Sam.

"You might want to have a seat," said Tsubaki. Sam pulled up a chair and crossed her legs as she sat down. "We've finalized the details of your first assignment."

"We?"

"Myself and Henry, of course."

Sam began feeling uneasy. "Don't tell me WOOHP is involved. And speaking of which, shouldn't you be in Korea?"

"We've taken a short recess over the weekend. I just got back an hour ago, myself."

"Oh yeah, now I remember. So, what's this all about?"

Tsubaki cleared his throat. "As you know, Henry here is working to help establish a type of free trade agreement with North Korea. This would essentially lift all trade embargoes against the country or at least open the doors to that prospect. We are one of the bidders to build the country's communications infrastructure. This company could earn billions from the project."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I heard."

"However, before we can begin, we must send people over there to assess the country's current situation. You, as part of the team in charge of this process, have been chosen to go."

Sam gawked. "M-me? Are you sure? I haven't even met the team yet!"

"You won't need to. The team I'm sending you with will be entirely separate from the relations team you'll start with after next week."

"So what will I do there?"

"As a trainee, you'll mostly watch what we do and essentially do whatever the project leader tells you. He's a strict man, but I think you'll get along with him. You're both dedicated workers, which is partially why I chose you to go."

"Partially?"

Tsubaki looked to Henry, who nodded to him. "The other reason is because of your past work with WOOHP. You have experience with overseas work, a valuable asset if I've ever seen one."

Sam sat up straight. "Henry, you can't talk about that!"

Tsubaki held up a hand. "It's quite alright Sam. I know all about your previous work with WOOHP."

Sam blinked. "Huh?"

"I know that you were secretly employed in your high school years as a secret agent, and that you fought countless criminals over the course of your career, as well as your friends' involvement with the organization."

Sam gripped the chair's arms tightly and felt the room warm up. "How long have you known?"

"Since before you started here. I told you Henry and I go back a ways."

Sam fidgeted nervously. She sat at the edge of her chair. "But, we were _secret_ agents! Jerry promised us our identities would be safe after our retirement!"

"And they still are," said Henry. "I'm afraid Dr. Tsubaki here made a grave understatement. He knew about your employment with WOOHP back when we employed you."

Sam stared at Tsubaki. "Is it true?"  
Tsubaki nodded. "Yes. Jerry and I are good friends, and I supply WOOHP with quite a lot of equipment."

"Really?"

"Of course. Just ask records and they'll show you. It's no big secret."

Sam relaxed her grip on the arms, but remained apprehensive. "So anyway, what does WOOHP have to do with this?"

Henry opened a folder and handed her a photo. "Recognize this man?"

The photograph was a picture of a man in his late 30s or early 40s. His hair was thin and blonde with a receding hairline, and he wore a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. He looked physically weak, but his eyes were keen and intelligent.

"Nope, don't recognize him."

"I didn't think so. Do you remember the case involving your second encounter with your clones?"

Sam went pale at the mention of her evil twins. She still remembered them vividly: just as beautiful as she and her friends were, but vastly superior in terms of strength and intelligence, not to mention cruelty.

And that was just the Athena mutant strain.

"Yeah, I remember."

"The man in that photo is Dr. John Parker. He is our chief genetics researcher and is still in charge of Macker's clones. You met him briefly on that case, if I do recall."

Sam thought for a moment, and then it clicked. "Yeah, I remember him now."

"He's been doing medical research for us in North Korea for the past couple of months. Just last week, he vanished."

Sam felt her heart drop into her stomach. "Don't tell me you want me to find him? I'm kind of out of practice with the whole spy thing."

"I won't ask you to. But the fact remains that the location of his last sighting is a location you'll be visiting. It's a small town near the border, just north of the demilitarized zone." He opened his briefcase and set a small device with a single button on the desk. "Should you find any concrete evidence that Parker is in the area, I want you to use this. It's a homing beacon that will alert our systems, and our agents will take care of the rest."

Sam looked at the remote apprehensively. "So I won't have to get directly involved?"

"No. If you don't find anything, that's quite alright. We'll find him ourselves eventually, but we could use all the help we can get. His knowledge and expertise are what you might call sensitive information."

Tsubaki took the floor. "As compensation for your trouble, I will offer you a bonus for taking this extra assignment."

Sam stood up angrily and slapped her hands on the desk and glared at her boss. "What do I look like? A mercenary?"

"No, but you'd pass yourself off as one quite well with that attitude."

"What?"

Henry studied her calmly and tapped his chin. "Is there something the matter, Sam?"

"No!"

He kept a steady gaze on Sam. "All he offered was a bonus for an extra assignment you haven't even agreed to. Is there something between you and my organization I should know about before I extend my offer again?"

Sam grimaced and hung her head. "No."

Henry leaned back, but remained cautious about Sam. "Very well. Do you accept my offer?"

Sam stared at the remote. "So all I have to do is hit this button?"

"Yes. You don't even need to go out of your way to search. Just keep your eyes open while you're over there."

She continued staring at the device. "What are the chances I'll even see anything?"

Henry clasped his fingers together. "Realistically? Slim. You won't be traveling too far from the main towns. However, the chance is still there."

Sam could feel it. The old, familiar rush she got when Jerry was giving her, Alex, and Clover their next assignment. The possibility of danger, intrigue, and travel to exotic locales. A hotness that began in the pit of her stomach and spread to her fingertips and down to her toes. A nervousness that began at the base of her brain and filtered down to her limbs. The adrenalin rush that started in her chest and slowly spread outward before rushing to her brain. It was an old feeling, a familiar feeling, and a good feeling. Sam gingerly picked up the remote.

"I'll do it."

Henry smiled. "Thank you Sam. Also," he handed her a pair of earrings. "You'll want these. They're translation field silver earrings. When active they will translate anything others say into English for you, and anything you say into their native tongue."

"Thanks! So when do I leave?"

"Tomorrow," said Tsubaki as he opened a desk drawer.

"Tomorrow?" Her hopes of spending the day with her friends vanished like that morning's fog.

"Yes, tomorrow." He held up her plane ticket. "I'm giving you the rest of the day off so you can pack. The plane leaves at 6 am tomorrow morning. I've left an information packet on your desk."

Sam held the remote to her chest. "O-okay."

"Also, because I like to think I'm still a nice man in my old age," he fanned two more plane tickets from behind the one like a hand of cards, "I've made flight arrangements for two more passengers of your choosing. They won't be an actual part of the team, but they can at least keep you company." He laid the tickets on the desk and Sam took them.

"Wow… thanks!"

"I'm glad you like it. Now you'd better get going."

"Yes sir! Thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it, Sam."

Sam hurried out of the office and ran to her desk. She grabbed the information packet and the rest of her things and turned around to find Lana looking at her curiously.

"What's up?"

"I've got to pack! Tsubaki's sending me to Korea!"

"Sam, that's great! I'm so jealous!"

"Well, what can I say? I have to go, I'll see you when I get back!"

"Okay. Bye Sam!"

Sam exited the office at a brisk pace and tossed her things into her car as she got in. She left the parking lot and sped across town for her apartment while she tried to think of whom to take with her on the trip.

_Brad would love to go. I just have to take him along! Who wouldn't take their fiancée along? But whom else should I take? Clover would love to go. She's the one getting all nostalgic on us. I'm sure a good trip overseas would do her good. But I can't just leave Alex out of it! That wouldn't be fair to her. What's not fair is that I have to cancel our shopping trip now. They were so looking forward to it._

Sam glanced at the tickets and grinned.

_Why settle for a shopping spree when I can take them halfway around the world?_

* * *

Alex was filing some paperwork away when her cell phone went off. 

"Hello?"

"Alex, it's Sam." She sounded urgent.

"What's up?"

"I have to cancel our shopping spree tomorrow. I'm sorry, but something came up at work."

Alex was crestfallen. "Aw, man! What came up?"

"We're going to Korea."

"Oh! Wow that's a long way…did you say we?"

"Uh huh! My boss gave me three tickets, and I've decided to take you and Clover with me!"

"Oh wow! That's awesome! It's been ages since I went overseas!"  
"Glad to hear it. Can you clear your schedule for a few days?"

"I think so. Things are pretty light right now since a bunch of patients just finished their therapy."

"Great! I'll call Clover."

"When does the plane leave?"

"Tomorrow at 6 a.m. sharp."

"I'll be there!"

"Great! See you then!"

Alex ended the call and froze. "Tomorrow? I have to pack!"

* * *

Clover was lying on her desk with a newspaper over her head and dreaming about being in her own wedding. It was beautiful. Her dress was of purest white and her veil masked her face like a gentle snowfall. The whole chapel was filled with glorious sunlight as her dad walked her down the aisle to where her soon-to-be husband was waiting. Sam, Alex, and Clover were there, crying their eyes out and looking so happy for her. Just as the processional reached its crescendo, it started ringing. It took Clover a few moments to recognize the ringing, and when she did, the wedding evaporated and she was staring at her desk again. 

"Aww, damn it!"

She angrily answered her cell phone. "Hello!"

Sam yelped. "Clover! Did I call at a bad time?"

"Oh, Sam! Sorry, I was just uh, working on a big project."

"Well that's good. Hey, I've got to cancel our shopping spree tomorrow."

"What?"

"I've got to cancel. Something came up."

Clover sank in her chair. "Well, that's okay, I guess. Mind if I ask what happened?"

"We're going to Korea."

"Oh, okay. Have fun."

Sam waited on the other end.

"Hello? Sam?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to say anything?"

"I was waiting for you to think about what I just told you."

"What? You're going to Korea. That's great."

"No, silly! What exactly did I say?"

Clover chewed on her finger for a moment. "We're going to Korea?"

"That's right!"

Clover gripped the desk tightly. "You don't mean…?"

"Yes! Alex is going, too!"

"Korea?"

"Uh-huh!"

Clover leaned back in her chair. "Wow, I haven't been overseas in ages. What are we going to do?"

"Mostly just keep me sane while I work on a project for my boss' company."

"So I won't have to do any work?"  
"Pretty much."

"Hmm, let me think about it. Of course I'll go!"

"Great! We leave at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning!"  
"I'll be there!"

* * *

That night the Alex household was a three-ring circus; featuring a passport hunt, bag packing, and constant fretting all under the same tent. After a great deal of talking, Mark had convinced Alex to let him search for the passport so she could focus on packing. Her bag lay open and half-full on the bed, with other clothes strewn across the comforter as she paced about the room trying to select her outfits. 

"No, no, no. Aagh, what do I bring?" She turned and yelled down the hall. "Mark? What kind of clothes to Koreans wear?"

"The same kinds of clothes we wear," he called from the living room.

"Well that's not helping!"

"Alex, you're only going to be there a few days. Just pick what you like."

Alex stared at her outfits and hesitantly selected one, folding it carefully and stuffing it in her bag.

"Find my passport yet?"

"No, but I'm down to the last couple of boxes! I know it's in here somewhere!"

"Okay, just keep looking!"

She tentatively chose another outfit, folded it, and placed it in the bag. She suddenly remembered she had to pack a makeup and bathroom kit as well, and those were all over the bathroom. She rushed into the bathroom and dug out her old travel kit, which she hadn't used since their honeymoon in Alaska. She dusted the old thing off and opened it. She found several pebbles inside, dumped them out, and began stuffing an assortment of creams, lotions, soaps, and makeup into the bag without really paying attention to what they were. Mark walked in and watched her frantic packing for a moment, and then noticed the pebbles on the counter. He picked one up and recognized it.

"Hey, remember these?"

"What?" said Alex without looking up.

Mark stood behind Alex and wrapped his arms around her to pin her arms to her sides.

"Mark! I'm trying to pack!"  
He held the pebbles under her eyes. "Don't you remember these?"

Alex stared at the pebbles. They were composed of pure white marble and laced with crystals as blue as a midnight sky. Back on their honeymoon, they'd been advised against swimming in one of the lakes they were camping close to because it rarely warmed up past 75 degrees. Alex, feeling especially dirty after a long hike, decided that 75 degrees wasn't that bad. What she'd forgotten was that there is a big difference between an air temperature of 75 degrees and a water temperature of 75 degrees. It didn't take long for her to find that out, after she'd been in the water for some time. She dove down to the bottom just as her muscles began to shiver involuntarily. She was about to go back up when she spotted something shiny at the bottom. She scooped them off the lakebed and tore up to the surface just as her limbs began going numb. She was shivering so violently that she barely had the strength to call for help. Mark heard her and immediately rushed into the freezing cold water and pulled Alex to shore a shivering, soppy mess. He stoked the campfire to an inferno and held her tightly to warm her back up. When Alex had finally stopped shivering and Mark could feel the warmth return to her skin, she unclenched her hands and she found six small pebbles in her right hand, glistening in the firelight.

She blushed. "Yeah, I remember these. I felt really dumb that day, almost dying on our honeymoon."

"But just think, if you hadn't gone swimming in that lake, you wouldn't have found these."

"But how does that help me now?"

"When you found your bag, you just dumped these out like they were old hairpins, but they're full of memories for us."

Alex placed one of her hands on Mark's. "I guess I am getting a little panicky, aren't I?"

"So I've noticed. I found your passport, by the way."

"Thanks."

Mark planted a kiss on her neck and let go, allowing Alex to pack. She removed half the items from her bag and started choosing them more carefully, only taking the essentials. She zipped up the bag and carried it to the bedroom, where she tossed it onto her luggage bag. She quickly selected a few more outfits, closed the bag, and set it aside. She put the rest of her outfits away and paused, staring at the comforter. She looked around the room and realized that since she'd married Mark, they hadn't been on a real vacation since their honeymoon. She really hadn't been outside a fifty-mile radius of this very room in all that time, and now she was going halfway around the world, but without her husband. She sighed loudly and checked the clock. It was almost ten. She checked her bags once more and then changed into her pajamas. She went to brush her teeth just as Mark walked in.

"You going to bed?"

"Uh-huh. Got an early start tomorrow."

"Yeah. I'll be with you in a minute."

"Okay."

She finished brushing her teeth and put her toothbrush and paste in her bag and zipped it up, setting it aside. She climbed into bed and turned the light off. The room was absorbed into a comfortable darkness, illuminated only by the light from the living room. Alex lay there for a while, needing sleep but not feeling sleepy. Needing to be alone but needing her husband. Needing to work but needing time off. Needing personal time but needing to be with her friends.

After a few minutes the light from the living room vanished and Alex heard Mark make his quiet way down the hall into the room. She vaguely saw his shadowed form in the almost nonexistent light of the bedroom and heard him remove his clothes and gently slip under the covers beside her.

"You asleep?" he whispered.

"No," she whispered back.

"Sleepy?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Alex rolled onto her side and faced Mark in the darkness. She reached out and her fingers found his collarbone and moved up to his neck. "I'm nervous."

"About the trip?"

"Yeah, it's been a long time since I went overseas."

Alex felt his fingers touch her shoulder and he rubbed it gently. "You'll be fine. I do it all the time. Now you know how I feel, having to go all over without you."

Alex gently stroked his neck. "Maybe I'm just excited, is all. But I'm just sad you can't come with me. We haven't had a real vacation since our honeymoon."

"Do you think it's time to take one?  
Alex nodded. "Yeah. Just the two of us, all to ourselves for a week or two. I don't think either of our bosses will mind that much."

Mark smiled an unseen smile. "Except my boss is the President of the United States."

"Who cares? You didn't vote for him."

"Yeah, but 55 of the country did, so that makes him my boss whether I like it or not."

Alex continued stroking his neck. "I wish you could come with me."

"Me too."

They felt each other for a while in the dark, listening to each other's breath, breathing each other's smell, feeling each other's skin.

"I'm still nervous."

"Don't be. You'll be fine."

Alex sighed softly. "I'm going to sleep now."

Mark leaned forward and planted an invisible kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight."

They clasped their hands together and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Clover tossed her bags beside the door and plopped into the couch. It was only ten and she wished she was already in the air. Even if it was just a passenger plane, she still hoped she could relive her days with WOOHP to some degree at least once. She felt that a trip abroad would do her good by curing her of her wanderlust. 

Mandy wheeled herself in and parked at the computer desk.

"So, you're going to Korea?"

"Yep!"

"On such short notice?"

"Uh-huh. Sam called me today and said she had a ticket for me."

"That's great. So what are you doing?"

Clover paused. "You know, I'm not really sure. Sam said she's going for work, and I guess we're just tagging along for company."

Mandy snorted. "Just a couple of dead weights, then?"

"More useful than you, at any rate."

Mandy blushed. "Hey! It's not my fault I'm in this state, okay?"

"I never miss an opportunity to annoy you!"

"You think?"

Mandy yawned. "I'm going to bed, Clover. Could you help me?"

Clover sighed. Alex had warned her that this would be a regular routine for some time. Which was why she was glad Mandy would be going to stay with her mom for a while.

"Alright." She got up and wheeled Mandy back to her room and parked her beside the bed. She knelt at Mandy's feet and placed both her hands under Mandy's cast.

"Ready?"

"Yes." Mandy pushed herself out of the wheelchair while Clover supported her foot. Mandy carefully walked herself off the wheelchair and onto the bed while Clover held on. Mandy settled onto the bed and Clover picked up her leg and carried it onto the bed and set it down gently.

"I tell you, I can't wait to get this stupid thing off."

"Me either. Then I won't have to baby sit you all the time."

Clover pulled the sheets over Mandy, who grabbed them and pulled them up just the way she liked them. "And don't forget to turn the computer off before you leave."

"No problem. Sweet dreams, Mandy." Clover kissed Mandy on the head and jumped out of the way as Mandy swung at her and missed.

Mandy propped herself up, her face red with rage. "Don't you EVER do that again! I'll need a week at the finest spa in Beverly Hills to cleanse myself of that!"

Clover laughed maniacally. "See you when I get back, Mandy."

"Good riddance! I hope you stay there for good!" She flopped back on the bed and Clover turned out the light and headed for her room, still laughing to herself and congratulating herself on her sweet victory over Mandy.

* * *

Sam busied herself with her final preparations while talking to Brad on her hands-free set. Of anyone, she had the most preparations to do, packing both her personal effects and the items she'd need for work while in Korea. 

"I'm sorry you can't go," she said as she stacked a few documents in her suitcase. "I really wanted to take you along, but I only had two extra tickets."

"That's okay," he replied. "I'd probably just slow you down."

"No you wouldn't! I'd work twice as hard with you there to support me."

"But I don't know what you're doing."

"So? I'd still love you to be there."

Brad sighed. "Me too. But hey, just think about all the places we're going for our honeymoon!"

"Oh I know! It's going to be so much fun! I can't wait!"

"Me either. You done packing for your trip yet?"

"Almost. I've still got to get all my work stuff together." She looked at the list from the information packet. "Just a few more things and then I'm going to bed."

"You've got a big day tomorrow. Better impress your boss, this could be a big step for you."

"I know. You know me, it's all or nothing."

"You'll be fine. It would be beneath you not to impress anyone."

"Naturally. It's what I do. How else could I have snagged you?"

"Amen, Sammie. Amen."

Sam gathered the last few items from the list and shut them in her suitcase. "There, all finished."

"So you're going to bed now?"

"I can still talk for a few minutes."

"But you need your beauty sleep."

"It's a long flight. I can sleep on the plane."

"You sure you can do that with your friends there?"

"I'll try."

Brad laughed. "Get some sleep, Sammie. You need it."

"But I want to talk to you!"

"I won't let you lose sleep over this, Sammie. You need it way more than I do."

Sam pouted. "You're mean!"

"I'm trying to help!"

"Well it's not working!"

Brad laughed again. "Alright, just a little longer. You feeling okay?"

"Fine, just a little jittery."

"Nervous?"

"Yeah, a little. This is the first really big project I've done with the company, and I'm not even an official employee yet."

"You'll be fine."

"Is there an echo on the phone?"

"What?"  
"I could have sworn you already told me that."

Brad paused. "I'm hanging up now."

"Don't do that!"

"I don't need to be insulted."

Sam started laughing. "Pleeeaase?"

"I don't know, that was pretty mean."

Sam pouted again. "Don't leave yet! I'm your fiancée for crying out loud!"

"You know we'll see plenty of each other after the wedding."

"But I want to see you right now!"

"I'd come over if I didn't know you had a long flight tomorrow."

Sam sank into a chair. "Party pooper!"

Brad laughed some more. Sam yawned. "I think I will go to sleep. All the adrenalin is wearing off."

"Okay, sleep tight, Sammie."

"Goodnight, Brad." She ended the call and took her headset off. She stared at the ceiling fan and sighed. She was ready for tomorrow, but didn't feel ready at all.


	10. Chapter Ten

(Authors Note: Okay folks, now is as good a time for a hiatus as any. I'll continue the story in a couple of weeks after I've had a chance to catch back up. I'm still beat from finals! I need a vacation! - Kanti)

**

* * *

Chapter Ten**

Sam lay on her bed waiting to die.

She refused to get up. Every time she did, her head swam and her feet would not stay underneath her. She turned her head to one side and looked at the clock. It read 8:00 am. She closed her eyes and shut out the world, but it still wanted her to listen. A breeze rattled the leaves outside her bedroom window and invited kite flyers out to play. The sound of the TV filtered into her room through the door, and she heard Brad sneeze. She really needed to vacuum the place. She felt sleep begin pinning her eyes shut and she opened them quickly to ward off the sandman. She'd tried sleeping already, and every time she awoke to the same terrifying nightmare, and every time she woke up screaming until Brad rushed in and held her until she calmed down. And every time he laid her back down and kissed her goodnight, reassuring her it was just a nightmare before going back to the living room. And every time she fell asleep, the nightmare returned more vivid and more terrifying than before. So Sam gave up trying to sleep and tried her best not to think while she covered her eyes with her arm. But what happened two days ago was all she could think about in the quiet of her bedroom.

The girls arrived in Seoul and disembarked from the company jet on a gorgeous sunny day. Sam exited the plane first, lightly packed and dressed for business. She put a pair of shades on in the bright sunlight and marveled.

"Oh wow. It's been so long since we've been overseas!"

She descended the ramp and Alex disembarked next, more heavily packed and dressed comfortably.

"Yeah, I know! This is so cool! Company jets are way better than coach!"

Sam turned around and looked up at her. "Oh definitely."

"And just think, you'll probably get to use one all the time! I'm so jealous!"

Sam smiled back. "It comes with the territory."

"Lucky skunk." Alex turned and called into the hatch. "Clover! Let's go!"

"I'm…coming!" she called. Clover exited the plane carrying two heavy bags and was dressed for pleasure. "I swear, why do they make planes so small? Don't they know that some of us have to pack more essential equipment than others?"

"How much essential equipment do you need for a three-day trip?"

"Hello? This girl's got needs!"

Alex shrugged and descended the ramp. "Suit yourself, but I'm not helping you with those."

Clover hefted the bags under her arms and took a tentative first step down the ramp. "That won't be necessary, I assure you." Sam and Alex descended the ramp with little trouble and tossed their bags in the trunk of the waiting sedan. Sam looked at Clover, who was slowly making her way down.

"Clover, come on!" she said impatiently. "You may be on vacation, but I've got work to do!"

"Just hang on, I'll be there in a flash!" As if on cue, Clover stumbled on the next step and gravity took over from there. She tumbled down the rest of the stairs and landed hard on the tarmac, and her bags landed on her head.

Alex leaned over. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," said Clover, her voice muffled by the huge bag covering her head. "There aren't any cute guys watching, are there?"

Alex looked toward the car. The driver, a handsome young Korean saw the whole thing. His face was straight as an arrow, but his eyes betrayed a sparkle of amusement.

"No."

"Okay, then." Clover pried the bags off of herself and Alex carried one of them to the car and stuffed it in the trunk.

Sam helped Clover load her second bag and closed the trunk. The driver approached them and bowed low.

"Miss Simpson?" he asked in clear though accented English.

"Yes?"

"If you please, we should go. You have a busy day today. I shall drive you to your hotel."

Sam bowed back. "Thank you, uh…"

"Yoshi. You may call me Yoshi, Miss Simpson."

"Thank you, Yoshi. Let's go!"

Yoshi bowed again and got in the driver's seat. He pulled up to the airport and the girls went through Customs before returning to the car. They drove past the terminals, away from the airport, and down the main road leading to the city.

Clover sighed happily. "Well, here we are!"

Alex smiled. "Yep, so what are we going to do first, Sammie?"

Sam frowned. "Well, I'll probably have a meeting with my team first off since I haven't met them yet, and then we'll probably launch right into our first assignment since we're only going to be here a couple of days."

Alex pouted. "Aww, that's no fun."

"I know, it's work and that's what I'm here to do."

"So what are we here for?" asked Clover.

Sam's face turned a slight shade of red and she pressed her fingers together. "To keep me company."

"Ah? Sam, we're not pets here. We're your best friends."

"I know, but when Mr. Tsubaki gave me those extra tickets, I just couldn't resist taking you two with me."

Alex tilted her head. "So what are we supposed to do?"

Sam smiled guiltily. "You guys get to have fun while I get to work my butt off!"

Clover crossed her arms. "Sounds good to me! I'm pretty sure Alex and I can have a good time by ourselves."

Alex pouted. "But I want to do this with Sammie! We were supposed to do this together, remember?"

Sam sighed and smiled at Alex. "Relax, there's no way I'll be working all the time. I'll make sure to spend every moment I have off with you two."

Alex's face lifted a little. "Thanks, but what are we going to do while you're at work?"

Clover yawned. "Sleep off this jetlag?"

Sam yawned. "G-Good idea."

Alex yawned. "I'm game."

Yoshi yawned. "Please, ladies. You make me sleepy."

The girls giggled as they drove on into the city. Yoshi drove the car though the ultramodern downtown Seoul. The girls marveled at the closeness of the city and were pointing out differences between what they saw and what they were used to back home.

"It's so close together," said Alex. "It's like New York, only tighter."

Clover watched the crowded sidewalks. "So many people. LA is a big place, but it's nowhere near as packed as this."

"Well," said Sam, "South Korea is home to 48,598,175 people."

Clover stared at Sam. "Showoff."

Sam beamed. "I did my homework."

"Hey look, there's a karaoke bar!" exclaimed Alex. She turned to Sam with a pleading look. "We have to go karaoke before we leave!"

Sam watched the karaoke bar pass them and recede down the street. "I'll see about it. But remember, I'm supposed to go to _North_ Korea on this assignment."

Alex pouted. "Oh yeah, I forgot."

Yoshi looked at them in the rearview mirror in alarm. "You're going north? Why?"

Sam brushed her hair back. "I'm on a team from my company to survey the area for potential communications development. To tell the truth I'm still not exactly sure what I'm doing."

Yoshi kept one eye on her and the other on the road. "I see. Be very careful, Miss Simpson. Things are very tense between our countries right now."  
Sam's face showed her concern. "I know. The president of my old employer is actually mediating the talks."

"You mean the WOOHP president? Good man, good man. Very intelligent."

"That's why Jerry chose him."

Alex leaned forward. "You know, my husband's been involved in this thing, too. He's in the Air Force intelligence."

"Really?" said Yoshi.

"Mm-hmm. Most of his work's top secret though, so he never tells me anything."

"Your husband is a wise man. And strong."

"Eh?"

Yoshi smiled. "It takes a strong man to keep secrets from a lovely young lady such as yourself."

Alex sat back and blushed. "Uh, thank you."

Yoshi laughed. "Don't worry, miss. I'm not a creep."

Sam giggled at Alex's embarrassment and Clover leaned forward. "You wouldn't happen to be single, would you?"

Sam rolled her eyes and sat back to let Clover begin her decade-long show.

"Yes I am single, miss."

"Available?"

"Yes. But you must know something."

"What?"

"It's against my principles to date customers, especially foreign ones."

Undaunted, Clover soldiered on. "Well I'm not going to be your customer forever, am I?"

"Aye, but you're still a foreigner."

Clover tilted her head to one side. "So? I've dated my fair share of foreign guys."

"And you're not dating them anymore, right?"

"Yeah, so what?"  
"I think I've made my point, miss."

Clover huffed angrily and sat back in her seat. "Fine, your loss."

Yoshi, Alex, and Sam laughed as the car slowed to a halt in front of a hotel. "We're here."

They all got out of the car and Yoshi helped them unload their bags. "It was nice meeting you ladies," he said with a bow. "Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you!" they chimed as they returned the bow.

Yoshi got back in the car and drove off, leaving the girls in front of the hotel with their bags. They stared up at the towering edifice and looked around, suddenly aware of a keen sense of isolation. It had been a long time since they were this far away from their loved ones. Only Sam had cell phone coverage, and it was for business only. Even so, she felt isolated and alone in this foreign land. It was funny, that used to not be the case. Back in their glory days, they jetted around the world to the most exotic locations imaginable and never thought twice about the fact that they were thousands of miles from home. They all knew that the difference then was that Jerry was always there to back them up and send them a plane or helicopter or hydrofoil at a moment's notice. Now? Now they had to buy their plane tickets like everyone else, and they actually had to go through Customs! Everything was difficult now, and that difficulty was what made the world so different to them. They weren't trying to save the world anymore, they were just cogs in the global machine.

But they still had each other.

Sam took her friends' hands and looked at them excitedly. "Well, let's go!"

Alex and Clover squeezed her hands. "Right!"

The picked up their bags and strolled into the hotel. They checked in and rode the elevator to the tenth floor. Sam led them to their room and unlocked the door. They looked around the room and released soft squeals of delight. The room looked like most any hotel room, but it was heavily stylized with traditional Korean motifs to give it a distinct Eastern flair. A sliding glass door opened onto a splendid vista of Seoul and let the afternoon light fill the room. The girls tossed their bags aside and collapsed across one of the beds, giggling like teenagers.

Alex stretched her arms. "Well here we are!"

Clover yawned. "Yeah, we are here!"

Sam placed her hands under her head. "It's been so long since we did anything like this. I feel like a kid again!"

Alex giggled. "Me, too. It's just like with WOOHP, only there aren't any bad guys to nab."

Clover sighed contentedly. "Kind of a shame, really. I almost miss the excitement of tracking down some worthless criminal."

"Yeah, but just think; since we're not on a mission, we can see all the sights this time around!"

Sam cleared her throat. "Excuse me? You two may be on vacation, but I've got a job to do."

Clover turned her head to look at her. "Of course you do. But every moment you're not working or sleeping is going to be with us."

"Clover, I'm not even sure how long we'll be in Seoul. The meat of this job is in North Korea, remember? As far as economics are concerned, they're a third-world nation.

Clover raised an eyebrow. "So, does that mean no shopping malls?"

Sam shook her head. "I'm not sure, but totalitarian communist regimes tend to not have many."

Alex sat up and hopped off the bed. "I've got to use the bathroom. I'll be right back." She went to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Clover got up and fished a cigarette out as she walked out onto the balcony. Sam lay on the bed for a moment and stared at the ceiling. She could hear Alex shuffling around in the bathroom. She heard Clover open the sliding glass door followed by the click of her lighter's flint. She could hear the muted hum of the city below and the whir of a vacuum cleaner out in the hall. Sam sighed and got up to join Clover on the balcony.

Clover leaned on the balcony rail and gazed over the city as she casually puffed on her cigarette. Sam stood a couple of feet away and leaned back against the rail. She didn't really mind Clover's habit, as she made it a point to keep an open mind about people. Heck, almost everyone she knew at Harvard smoked to some degree. But even so, she could only inhale so much smoke before her stomach began turning, which was why she always put a couple of feet between the two of them whenever Clover lit up. But still, she never completely agreed with Clover's habit.

And Clover knew this. She was well aware of Sam's extraordinary degree of political awareness. She also knew how Sam felt about her smoking habits. She also knew what kind of risks she took every time she inhaled the nicotine-laced smoke. But that was her choice, wasn't it? It was her body; she could do with it what she liked, even if she did poison it. She couldn't help it, really. Her nicotine addiction was far too entrenched in her system after all these years to just quit. She had nicotine patches, but they lacked the social qualities of a real cigarette. After all, in her line of work cigarettes made excellent icebreakers and it helped calm her nerves when things got stressful, as often as they did.

Clover exhaled a puff of smoke as a breeze blowing across the building carried it away.

Sam sighed as the faint smell of smoke entered her nose. "Clover, I really wish you'd give those things up."

Clover lowered her cigarette and let her arm hang off the rail. "I would if I could, Sammie. But I just can't right now."

"You really should quit right now. Every day you smoke those things puts you at greater risk for lung cancer or something just as bad."

Clover looked at Sam with a serious expression on her face. "You don't think I know that? I mean, it says so right on every goddamn package of cigarettes, not to mention those anti-smoking campaigns getting thrown in my face every ten seconds. I know what I'm doing to my body, Sam. I just…I just can't stop right now."

Sam crossed her arms. "I know you know, and I try to keep an open mind about your habit. After all, there's nothing against the law about it. But, as your best friend, I'm just worried about your health. I don't want you to die on me because of some silly little habit."

Clover took a slow drag on her cigarette and exhaled just as slowly. She looked at Sam with a reassuring gleam in her eyes. "Don't worry Sam, I'll quit soon enough. I'm far too gorgeous to die by my own hands."

Sam arched her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. "You never change, Clover."

"And don't ever intend to," she said with a smile and a wink.

Suddenly their X-Powders sounded their age-old six-tone ring. Clover and Sam answered them. "What is it Je-Alex!"

Alex giggled on the holographic screen. "Sorry! I just had to test the X-Powders out!"

As a special gift, Henry had reactivated their X-Powders' two-way communication function so the girls could talk to each other. Though they wouldn't be able to call anyone else, just the fact that they would be in contact with one another regardless of their location was immensely comforting.

Sam smiled. "Well, at least we know you can call us from the bathroom."

Alex giggled and Clover and Sam shut their X-Powders. Alex emerged from the bathroom and joined them on the balcony. She leaned on the railing between Sam and Clover and whistled. "This place is huge!"

"Yeah," said Sam.

Alex had always been the most tolerant of Clover's habit. For some reason, the smoke from cigarettes never bothered her as much as it did Sam. Sam attributed it to the fact that she was such a health nut. Alex had always been more reckless with her health, having always had a major sweet tooth and a busy lifestyle that didn't always permit her to eat healthy. But Alex had always managed to balance it out with rigorous exercise and forcing herself on diets when she started gaining a few pounds. Sam still couldn't imagine her being pregnant, even though she knew how much Alex wanted a baby.

Sam was just about to strike up a new line of conversation when her cell phone rang.

"Oh great, that must be work related."

Clover and Alex looked at her expectantly as she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Sam, this is Adrian Walker, the head of this project."

"Oh, hi Adrian! I just checked in."

"Yeah, I just heard. We're ready to start the orientation meeting, so if you could get down to conference room B we can get started."

"So soon? I just got here."

"I know, but we're on a tight schedule, so we have to go ahead and start."

Sam sighed. "Alright, I'll be right down."

"Thanks. Oh, and your friends can come along and watch. They'll need to know what we're doing as well."

Sam nodded. "Okay, we'll be down in a minute."

"See you then."

Sam ended the call and looked at her friends with a half-sincere smile. "Looks like I've got the first meeting already."

Alex frowned. "Already? I haven't even changed out of these clothes yet."

"Me either. You girls can come to the meeting with me, so you know what I'll be doing."

Clover extinguished her cigarette. "Sounds good to me. Let me change and then I'll be right down."

Sam nodded and went back inside. She took her suit out of the closet and began unbuttoning her blouse. "I hope you brought something more appropriate than that, Clover."

Clover took her shoes off. "Relax, Sammie. I'm always prepared for any social situation!"

"I hope so. Don't want my coworkers thinking my best friend is a tramp."

Clover flushed. "Hey, that's not very nice!"

* * *

A few minutes later, they walked into the conference room and were met with the impatient stares of the rest of Sam's team. Sam suddenly wanted to turn invisible. She hadn't been able to fix her hair properly on such short notice, and was forced to leave it in a messy bun for the meeting. Likewise, Clover had pulled her hair back into a short tail, unable to completely smooth it out from the long flight over. Alex, with her short hairstyle, merely needed to brush it straight and she was ready to go. Sam also looked disapprovingly at Clover's outfit. While it was more professional than what she was wearing, it was still very flirty. She certainly was advertising her availability. 

Just then a handsome man walked into the room and Clover found a new crush almost instantaneously. He was tall and well built with a short head of hair and a square jaw. His shirtsleeves were rolled back to his elbows and he didn't wear a tie. He looked like he had just come from the Army. He strode to the head of the table and stood at the podium.

"Good evening, everyone. Let's get started."

The room quieted as everyone shifted their attentions on the man at the front of the table. Sam took the vacant seat near the back while Alex and Clover took a pair of seats at the back of the room. Alex crossed her legs and settled comfortably into the chair while Clover leaned on her knees and stared dreamily at the apparent conference leader.

"First off, as you can tell we have a newcomer to the team. I'd like you all to meet Sam Simpson," he gestured toward her warmly and Sam waved back. "My name is Adrian Walker, and I'm in charge of this team's security on this mission."

Clover raised her hand. "Excuse me, but were you in the Army?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, I was in the Army until about a year ago when I started working for United Com. in the area. Now can we please get started?"

Clover nodded. "Please do."

Adrian lowered the lights and showed a projection of a town layout. "As you all are aware, this operation takes place in North Korea. The government is allowing many companies including our own to scout the country and draw up plans to modernize the nation. United Communications has been given the southern half of the country, from Pyongyang to the border. This particular team will be scouting the area in and around the city of Kaesong." He changed the slide to show a map of the area. Sam could make out the city as well as the border running right next to it.

"As you can see, it's right on the border. The town actually serves partly as a base for the military garrison at the border, so don't get too friendly with the locals. Remember, we're here to do a job and get out of there."

He took a sip of water from his glass before continuing. "The reason I'm trying to stress our safety is because despite the talks, North Korea is still a militaristic dictatorship with nuclear capabilities. They may not be able to hit the US, but they can still turn Southeast Asia into an inferno. Add to that the fact that tensions are still high after that skirmish last month and you start to get the picture. The last thing we need here is an international incident."

Sam felt coldness in her stomach. A cold, exciting feeling she hadn't felt since her first WOOHP mission. A feeling that she was going into a dangerous situation.

Adrian changed the slide to a map of Kaesong. "Our mission is to survey the city of Kaesong and the surrounding area for the purpose of evaluating the costs and benefits of installing a modern, full-scale communications network in the area. As you know, United Comm. is a major bidder in the project, and if things look good it could make the company a fortune.  
Sam, since you're the newcomer, I'll have to brief you specifically."

Sam forced a smile and a hint of red appeared on her face. She felt like a complete outsider, coming in on this skilled team with little experience and on extremely short notice.

"You're basically the bookkeeper. Your job will be to collect, organize, and store all of the data we collect and then turn it over to the project leader when we come back to Seoul. Think you can handle that?"

Sam sat up straight and nodded vigorously. "Yes sir!"

"Good. We leave for Pyongyang at nine and we'll connect with our flight to Kaesong from there. Any questions?"

Sam raised her hand and he acknowledged her. "Is there anything we should take into consideration since we're so close to the border?"

"Absolutely. It's unlikely, but the possibility of mines still exists in the area. The military is very strict, so do what they say. If anything goes wrong between the team and the military or police, just get in contact with me and I'll take care of it. Your safety is my priority. Always remember that." Adrian checked his watch. "Okay, meeting adjourned. Get some rest everyone, the next few days are going to be crazy."

The room filled with the bustle of people getting up and talking to one another as the lights came back up. Sam began introducing herself to the other team members. Their initial hostility evaporated as she introduced herself and got to know them. They were all older than her and very experienced, and took a liking to the energetic young woman on their team, even if they would have to train her from scratch.

Alex sidled next to Sam and introduced herself to the others while Clover edged around the room to where Adrian was standing and talking with one of the team leaders. She waited patiently for a pause in the conversation before stepping into his field of view.

"Can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Clover. I'm a friend of Sam's," she said, extending her hand.

Adrian shook it gently. "I was wondering who you were. Nice to meet you."

Clover smiled and nodded. "The pleasure is all mine. So, have you been in Korea long?"

"Almost a year now, actually. I've been acting as a liaison between North Korea's government and the company."

"Really? Wow. Must be pretty lonely, all this way from home."

"Yeah, sometimes. But I get by. So what do you do for a living?"

A brief frown passed over Clover's face at her frustration that he missed such an obvious flirt. But she quickly recovered her brilliant Hollywood smile. "Oh, I'm a talent agent in Hollywood."

"Really? Anyone I might recognize work for you?"

Clover shook her head. "Not yet, but our clients find enough work."

"I see. Well, talent has to come from somewhere, right?"

"Right! So, you doing anything this afternoon?"

"Sorry, but yes. I've got a full plate from now until the end of this job."

Clover pouted. "Aww." Undaunted, she drew her business card from her purse. "Well, if you're ever in town, give me a ring, okay?"

Adrian accepted the card. "Well, I live in San Diego, but I will if I'm ever passing through."

"Great! I know the perfect first date place. Not too romantic, but not too casual, either."

Adrian grinned and adjusted his collar. "Yeah, sure. I need to get going, Clover. It was nice meeting you."

Clover waved goodbye as he excused himself from the room. "Bye Adrian!"

Sam approached and flatstared Clover.

"What?"

"Clover, that guy is in charge of our safety! You were soliciting a date from him, weren't you?"

"Ah! Soliciting is such a strong word. I merely gave him my work number and asked him to call if he's ever in town."

Alex placed her hands on her hips. "Sammie's right, Clover. I don't think it's such a good idea to ask him on a date."

"Yeah, I already told you you'd like Brad's Best Man. I'm practically setting you up, Clover!"

"But the wedding is three months away!" she whined. "How am I supposed to be single for that long when I want a man right now?"

Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. "You'll just have to be patient, Clover."

Clover crossed her arms and huffed. "Patience, shmatience. I'm getting old and running out of time, girls."

Alex and Sam looked at each other and rolled their eyes at Clover.

"Clover, believe it or not you're still young. I know plenty of 30-year-olds who just got married!" said Sam.

Clover looked at her and started tearing up. "But I want to meet the man of my dreams while I'm still young and virile!"

"Thirty is young! Thirty is virile!"

"Not as young or virile as twenty-six! Face it Sammie, thirty is the beginning of the end for young people!"

"We're hardly young people anymore," said Alex.

"See what I mean? I'm turning into an old lady by the day!"

Sam checked her watch. "Hey Alex."

"Yeah?"

"Was there any sake in the mini bar in our room?"

"Yeah."

Sam took Clover by the arm and Clover rested her head on Sam's shoulder. "I think one of us needs a drink."

* * *

The following night was a whirlwind of activity for everyone on the team. At exactly nine o'clock the entire team boarded a company jet and took off for Pyongyang. Sam made herself familiar with the team and one of the engineers showed her how to work the file system they'd be using and how to collect the data. Alex made friends with one of the women on the team, a mother of two and a civil engineer, and was trying to pry any information she could get about being a mother out of her. Clover had too much sake from the mini bar and was lethargic for the whole flight. Even when Adrian actually sat next to her, she couldn't answer much more than a yes or no question. When he walked away in frustration, Sam and Alex couldn't help but laugh. A hunk had actually shown her some attention, and she was too drunk to notice. 

"I think that's a sure sign of the apocalypse," said Alex between giggle fits.

"She is going to hate me for giving her all that sake!" said Sam as she wiped a tear from her eyes.

Not long afterward, the plane touched down in Pyongyang.

"Okay, listen up," said Adrian in a commanding tone. "Once we disembark, head straight for the connecting flight. Customs has already been taken care of for all of us, so there's no need to dawdle."

Alex leaned over next to Sam. "You'd think we're going to a prison tour or something."

"Well this is still a totalitarian regime. We're only here under the President's good graces."

"Mmmh," said Clover as she started to come out of her inebriated state. "Where are we?"

"Were in Pyongyang and about to make our connecting flight."

"Mmh." Clover passed out again.

"Clover, wake up," said Sam as she shook Clover, but got no response. Sam shook her harder and harder, but Clover was out cold.

"Aw, man!"

"What's the problem, Sam?" asked Adrian.

"Clover's out cold."

Adrian looked alarmed. "She is? Why?"

Sam blushed and brushed her hair back. "I uh, gave her too much to drink at the hotel."

Adrian sighed and slung his bag on his shoulder as the plane came to a stop. "I'll carry her. You two get to the plane."

"Okay!"

Alex and Sam moved to the front of the plane with their bags and did a terrible job suppressing their giggle fits.

"And to think, she's not going to remember any of this," said Sam.

"Poor Clover," said a giggling Alex.

The hatch opened and the team began piling out of the plane and hurrying across the tarmac to where a turboprop sat waiting for them. Adrian went last, carrying the comatose Clover in his arms. They boarded the plane without incident and Adrian strapped Clover into a seat and went to the front of the plane. Sam and Alex sat next to her and Clover slumped over and rested her head on Alex's shoulder. Alex looked at Sam and shrugged, and they both settled down for the short flight to their final destination.

* * *

The next day was a hurricane of activity in Kaesong. Months worth of surveying was being compressed into the space of a couple of days, and Sam had her hands full almost as soon as they touched down on the second-rate airfield the army kept near the city. Adrian herded them like cattle out of the plane and straight to the run-down apartment building that would serve as their base. After tossing their bags into their rooms, Adrian called them in for a meeting in his room. By now, Clover had mostly sobered up and could stand on her own and mostly pay attention to what was happening around her. 

"Alright, listen up," said Adrian when everyone was settled in the tiny room. "I want everyone up in the morning by six. We're hitting the ground running tomorrow; so the sooner we finish this the better. I want everyone to stay sharp and work hard. There's a lot riding on this survey, so let's not have any slip-ups, okay?"

Everyone nodded assent.

"Good. Okay, that's enough for tonight. You all know what the plan is, so get some rest. See you all tomorrow."

Reserved chatter broke the silence of the room as everyone began standing up and start filing out of the room or talking to Adrian. Clover sat on the floor cross-legged with her hand in her chin, her eyes never leaving Adrian.

"He's so dreamy," she whispered to Sam.

Sam rolled her eyes and stood up. "Come on, we should get ready for tomorrow."

Clover reluctantly stood up and even more reluctantly took her eyes off Adrian. "Okay, I guess you're right."

* * *

The next day started bright and early and didn't stop from the moment Sam and the team set foot outside the apartments until the moment she lurched into her room. She was exhausted. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun that was coming apart. Her eyes were red and lined, and she could barely keep them open anymore. She shuffled into the squalid room like a zombie, with Alex and Clover following close behind. They too were tired, but nowhere near as bad as Sam was. 

Clover closed and locked the door behind them while Alex squeezed into the kitchenette and started some coffee. Sam opened her bag and pulled her laptop out along with several disks and tossed the bag aside. She sat on the floor and opened the laptop, yawning as the computer booted up. She stared blankly at the screen until it finished, and then inserted a disk and went to work.

Clover leaned over her shoulder and studied the screen. "I thought you were done for the day?"

Sam shook her head. "Hardly. There's still so much information I've got to catalogue, and I've got to have it all ready by morning."

"Can we help?" asked Alex from the kitchenette. "I brought my laptop."

Sam shook her head again. "No, but thanks anyway. I'm the only one who's allowed to touch this stuff. I'm probably risking my job just letting you look at it, Clover."

Clover stood up and backed away a step. "Oh!"

Sam snorted softly. "It's okay, I doubt you can understand it. I barely can." She removed the first disk and inserted a second one and continued working.

"How long will you be at it?" asked Alex as she finished fixing the coffee.

"Most of the night if I'm lucky. All night if I'm not." She lapsed into silence as she hammered away at her work.

Alex squeezed out of the kitchenette with three mugs of coffee and set one on the table beside Sam. "Here you go. You'll need it."

"Thanks," said Sam as she took a sip. The coffee was hot and filled her stomach with warmth. Sam felt her senses pick up a little and she continued working.

Clover stood behind her, sipping her coffee and studying Sam. It had been a long, long time since she'd seen Sam so overworked. Not even the wedding plans caused her this much stress. She looked at Sam's hair and frowned. Two days without any sort of treatment was starting to take its toll on her friend's gorgeous auburn mane, and Clover wouldn't stand for it. She grabbed her brush out of her bath kit and sat down behind Sam.

"You need something, Clover?" asked Sam without looking away from the screen.

"Just sit still." She pulled the pins out of Sam's hair and fluffed it loose. She sighed as it stopped in the middle of her back instead of at her waist like it used to.

"What is it?" asked Sam.

"Nothing. I just miss your old hairstyle. I liked it long."

Sam sighed. "Well, keep dreaming. I'm afraid it won't be coming back."

"I know, but I still liked it better long." She gave Sam's hair another fluff and began brushing it, starting at the roots and running the brush all the way down to the ends. Her hairs resisted slightly, but still let the brush part and caress the strands. Sam moaned softly as Clover's brush massaged her scalp and smoothed out her messy tresses. She felt invigorated by Clover's brush and Alex's coffee, and went back to her work with renewed vigor.

Alex watched Clover brushing Sam's hair and smiled. She grabbed her own brush and sat down behind Clover and started brushing her hair. "We don't have enough people for a whole circle."

"Nope," said Clover. "But thanks anyway."

"No problem. My hair's fine anyhow."

"Aren't you lucky."

Alex laughed.

Clover put the brush down and started playing with Sam's hair. "What should I do with this? It gets too messy if I leave it alone."

Sam changed the disks and remained focused on the screen. "I dunno, just do what you feel like."

Clover nodded. "Okay, let's see here…" She separated Sam's hair into three groups and began braiding them together.

"Hey, don't braid it," said Sam. "I don't like it that way."

"It's just for tonight, so it won't be a complete mess in the morning."

Sam paused, and kept working. "Okay."

Clover braided Sam's hair as Alex finished brushing hers. "I don't think it'll get any neater, Clover."

Clover held Sam's hair in one hand and ran her fingers through her own. "That's fine. Thanks, Alex."

"Don't mention it!" She handed clover a hair band and Clover tied off Sam's braid. "There we go."

"Thanks," said Sam.

Alex looked around for something interesting, but there was nothing of any interest in the sparse apartment "Do you need anything else?" she asked Sam.

Sam shook her head. "No. You two can go on to bed. I'll turn in when I get done with this."

Alex and Clover looked at each other and at Sam in concern. "Okay," sighed Clover. "Just don't kill yourself over your first assignment."

Sam waved back without looking up. "I'll be fine. This is nothing new to me."

Alex and Clover grabbed up their sleeping clothes and headed for the bedroom. "Goodnight, Sammie. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see ya." Sam sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her laptop and continued working alone on her project long into the night.

* * *

The next day found the team traveling south of the city to a tiny town that nested right next to the border. The entire team looked weary, which made Sam feel better after only three hours of sleep. They all piled into a bus and the girls took the very back seat after stowing their bags. As soon as they were settled, Sam rested her head on Clover's shoulder and her eyes began drooping. Clover held her hand while Alex gently massaged her scalp. Sam closed her eyes and moaned appreciatively, now more thankful than ever that she'd taken them along. 

Adrian stood up at the front of the bus and his baritone voice filled the cab. "Good morning everyone, I trust you slept well?" Moans of disagreement and general complaint. "Excellent. Welcome to day two of our stay in North Korea, and hopefully our last." Weak, but sincere expressions of jubilation. "The village we're heading for is about 50 years behind the times, so we've got our work cut out for us. Hopefully you've all learned what to do and what not to do from yesterday, so a second trip down here won't be necessary, right?"

"Right!" yelled a drowsy voice from the front.

Adrian nodded. "That's the spirit. Let's get this over with today, people. The sooner we're back in Seoul the sooner we can relax."

Sam let the engine's hum and the dull dissonance of the other voices lull her into a light sleep. She saw herself back at LAX, sprinting out of the last security checkpoint and into Brad's waiting arms. She looked back and saw Clover walking slowly out of the gate, smiling sadly at her and Alex, walking alone.

A sudden jolt jarred her awake, and she looked up to find them entering a village. She sat up and yawned deeply.

"I was just about to wake you up," said Clover.

"Mmh." Sam ran her hand through her hair and found it still tied into a braid. "Oops, forgot to let it down." She flipped it around and started removing the hair band from the end."

"Don't you think that's a little inappropriate for the job?" asked Clover.

Sam removed the band and began unraveling her hair. "Ah, no one will care." She shook her hair free and fluffed it as much as its unconditioned state would allow. She had tried the shower at the apartment already and found the water rock-hard. She opted to go with extra deodorant today and settled for washing her face.

The bus slowed to a halt and was immediately swarmed by children.

"I know they're cute," said Adrian, "but every last one of them is an expert thief. Do NOT let them come near your equipment."

General sounds of agreement sounded around the bus as everyone stood up and began fetching their gear. A pair of soldiers walked out from a long building and hurried over to the bus as they yelled at the children. The children parted and backed away from the bus, talking excitedly among themselves and pointing at the bus and its occupants. The driver opened the door and the team filed out of the bus with Adrian in the lead. He spoke a few curt words with the soldiers and they led the team to the long building. The children followed close behind, but their merriment was soon cut short as their parents began calling them home. By the time Sam, Alex, and Clover reached the building, the children were all gone.

They entered the building and found themselves in a small room with a simple desk to one side. Once they were all in, Adrian passed out the plans to each team. "You all know how to do your jobs, so I won't go into that again. Just keep to yourselves and try not to have too much contact with the locals. We're here to do a job and leave. I'd like to wake up in Seoul tomorrow, so let's get moving!"

The team quickly broke up into its individual units and dispersed. Alex and Clover followed Sam's unit to the other side of the village, past the south gate, and toward a cluster of small buildings where they set up their equipment. Sam connected her computer to the wireless hub and within a few minutes it was communicating to the entire team.

"I'm online," she told the others. "Ready when you are."

The team members with her connected to the network and shouldered their equipment. "Great. You stay here and do your thing. We'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Okay!" Sam smiled and waved them off before unfolding her chair and taking a seat. She watched the computer for a moment as data began trickling in, but the process was mostly automatic for the time being. The real work would begin in a couple of hours, but she decided that until then, she would talk to Alex and Clover. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a deep yawn.

"Excuse me," she said after she finished.

Alex giggled and opened her bag. "I knew you didn't get much sleep." She withdrew a thermos and popped the lid off and removed the cap. "Here, I brought some coffee. I hope you don't mind it black."

Sam shook her head. "No, that's probably best right now." Clover poured the piping hot coffee into the lid and handed it to Sam. Sam closed her eyes and drank the bitter brew, feeling its warmth perk her back up and drive away her fatigue.  
"Thanks, Alex."

"Don't mention it."

They talked for a full hour after that. Sam set the computer on the workstation and sat down in her chair to talk in comfort with her friends. She gulped down the black coffee, having come to rely on it to stay alert.

"Man, I won't need another cup of coffee for a month after this trip."

"I'll say," said Clover as she lit a cigarette. "You'll need about a week's worth of sleep, too."

Sam rubbed her face with both hands and rested on her knees. "Ugh, I know. God, I hope I'm not permanently lined from this trip. What the hell was Dr. Tsubaki thinking when he offered me this job?"

"You didn't have to accept it, you know."

"I know, but only a fool would turn it down. Besides, what else could I do?" She looked up at Clover and Alex. "I mean, I turned down that job in Sacramento for you two, and I was already familiar with the company, so I figured I might as well. I mean, it was way more important than some filing clerk job down in the basement, right? Heh, who would turn down something this important? I mean, look at me? Globetrotting again for a major project that could earn my company untold millions! Me, a little girl from Beverly Hills, a bride-to-be, Harvard graduate, and one-time spy." She groaned as she sank her face into her hands again and shook her head. "It's all on me."

Alex leaned over and stroked her back. "Relax, Sammie. It'll all be over after today. Have you seen the rest of the team? Even Adrian looks exhausted."

"I just wasn't ready for this much responsibility so soon," said Sam.

"You'll be fine. You never do less than the best in everything you do, Sammie."

"I just feel overwhelmed."

"Well don't be," said Clover. "Just do your job and take yourself a nice long break after you get back. I can get you a mean deal at my favorite spa. What do you say?"

Sam looked at her and smiled. "Sounds fabulous."

"Great! I think I can work you in too, Alex."

Alex beamed. "Really? I haven't been to a decent spa in so long!"

Sam laughed softly. "Looks like we have another girls' night out." She checked her watch and turned to the computer, which should have been ready for a data backup, except for the small problem of not being there.

Sam shrieked and jumped to her feet. "Where'd it go?"

Alex and Clover jumped up and looked around. After a few seconds, Alex spotted a little boy darting behind a building and carrying a laptop computer. "Over there!" she exclaimed and pointed at the fleeing thief.

Sam spared not a second and took off after the little boy. "Come back here you little twerp!" She chased him to the edge of the village, and the boy ran toward a low building that was in great disrepair. As they neared it, Sam lunged and tackled the boy. He dropped the laptop and Sam watched in horror as it skittered across the dusty ground and fell into an open window at ground level.

"You brat!" she yelled as she pinned the boy to the ground. "Get me that laptop back now!"

The boy started crying and jabbering in Korean, which Sam had no knowledge of. "Wait, hang on." She touched the earrings Henry gave her, and after a moment the boy's speech came in clear English.

"I'm sorry, miss! I'm so sorry! Don't hurt me!"

Sam let him up, but kept her hands firmly on his shoulders. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just get that computer back for me and I'll-"

"No! No one's allowed to go in there!"

"Huh? Why not?"

"Only the bad men go in there!"

"Who? The soldiers?"

"No, the bad men! Even the soldiers are afraid of them!"

Sam furrowed her brow. "When did you last see them?"

"A week ago. They come and go without warning. Please don't make me go in there!"

Sam looked at the building. "Don't worry, I'll do it. This may be important."

The boy was shocked. "No! You can't go in there! They'll hurt you!"

Sam smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." She went around the building, leaving the boy rooted to the spot. She circled the building until she came to one of the ends, which had a concrete staircase leading to a locked door. Sam approached the door and examined it. It was old, but heavily constructed. A single lock held it in place.

"Looks like this thing is left over from World War II."

She looked around to make sure no one was coming, and then removed a pair of hairpins from one of her pockets. She inserted them into the lock and carefully began aligning the tumblers. It felt like it took forever, but eventually she heard the lock click and the door came loose. She put the hairpins away and smiled to herself.

"Guess I've still got it!"

She entered the building and found herself in an old prison building. There were only a few cells, and most of them either had broken doors or were missing bars. She walked down the row of cells and counted her way to the window she saw the laptop fall into. When she got there, she found the laptop lying on the cell floor and jumped for joy.

"There you are!" She ran over to it and opened it up. It was still functioning, and Sam blew a silent thank you to God. She closed the laptop and tucked it under one arm. She took a quick look around the cell and sighed. "What a dump. I can't believe they haven't torn it down yet." She turned around and gasped, almost dropping the laptop. A man was sitting in the cell across from her and eyeing her suspiciously.

"Who, who are you?"

The man stood up slowly. He was of average height and slender build, and had a head of long blonde hair. The length of his beard indicated he hadn't shaved in a couple of weeks.

"Dr. John Parker, Chief Biological Researcher at WOOHP. It's been a while, Sam."

Sam started. "How did you know my name?"

"Why shouldn't I? I have to take care of a couple hundred of you."

Sam's memory from years ago returned in force. She remembered the Legacy room, a vault deep in WOOHP's basement filled with row upon row of stasis chambers, each one containing a clone of herself or Alex or Clover."

"Doctor Parker! Oh my gosh, I didn't recognize you!"

"Ten years is a long time. Now could you please get me out of here before they come back? I know Henry sent you."

"Wait, who are they?"

"The people who put me in here. Now get me out!"

Sam shook her head. "I'm not supposed to get involved. I'm supposed to just let WOOHP handle it."

Parker sighed. Sam noticed anxiety rising in his eyes. "Okay then, hurry up and call them."

Sam reached into one pocket, then the next, and then the next. When her hand closed around nothing in the last pocket she broke a sweat.

"What is it?" asked Parker.

"I…I left the beacon back in Kaesong!"

Parker grabbed the bars and leaned his head against them. "Do you have your X-Powder?"

"Yes, but it's just a fancy walky-talky right now!"

Parker banged his head on the bars. "You picked the lock to get in here, right? Just pick the cell lock and let's go!"

Sam looked at the lock as she got the hairpins ready. "Are you sure I can?"

"These locks haven't been changed since World War II. If you picked the front door you should be able to pick this."

Sam knelt to the lock and inserted her hairpins. "Here goes nothing."

She worked the tumblers for what felt like forever. The lock, though oiled and clean, was still old and heavy, nearly breaking Sam's hairpins several times as she manipulated the tumblers. Finally, she heard the last tumbler click into place and the lock turned, allowing the door to swing free. Sam opened the lock and Parker jumped out and embraced her.

"Oh, thank you! You have no idea what I've been through!"  
Sam blanched as his days-old smell engulfed her and she pushed him away. "No problem. Let's get you out of here."

They turned to leave the prison when Parker grabbed her shoulder. "Shh! Listen!"

Sam stood still and focused her attention on her ears. At first she heard nothing, and then she noticed a distinctive _whup-whup-whup_ on the periphery of her senses, and it was getting closer. Parker jumped into an empty cell and stood on the bench to look out the window.

"Shit, they're coming."

"Who? Your captors?"

Parker rejoined her and shook his head. "Worse, my captor's enemies."

Sam stared at him and then grabbed his collar. "What's going on? Who are these people?"

Parker pulled her hand off his collar and glared at her. "If I told you that, you'd be in danger. Look, we have to get out of here. The people coming here want to make me do horrible things, and I have to get back to WOOHP."

Sam hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to lead this guy to safety herself, but she went and left the beacon miles away in another city. She stamped her foot and growled. "Okay, I'm getting you out of here. How do I do that?"

"There's a hidden trail that leads across the border. Not many people know about it, so they probably won't follow us unless they stumble across it."

Sam's heart rate increased with the thump of the helicopter blades. "Okay, let's do it."

They exited the prison and hurried out of the village and into the forest. Sam looked back as the trees and shrubs choked off her view of the village and saw helicopters swoop in and drop commandos into the village. Her stomach jumped when she heard the first bursts of automatic fire, and tears came to her eyes as she remembered that Alex and Clover were still in the village. But she kept running anyway.

Parker led her through the dense forest across ditches, over hills, through ravines, and across long stretches of deathly quiet forest. Sam was about to ask if he knew where they were going when they crested a hill and found themselves on a poorly-kept but visible trail.

"Here we are," he said as he leaned on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

Sam was out of breath too, but not as badly as Parker. She thanked God for her gym and then the tears returned to her eyes.

"What is it?" asked Parker.

"Alex and Clover, they're still in the village!" Her stomach was in knots. Was this how their friendship would end?

If Parker was concerned, he didn't show it. "Don't worry, Sam. It was me they were after. Those…guys aren't fond of unnecessary bloodshed."

Sam sniffed. "I hope you're right."

"You have your X-Powder, right? Why not call them?"

Sam's waterworks stopped and she hit her head. "Agh! I totally forgot I had it!" She opened the X-Powder and called Alex and Clover. Her face lit up with jubilation when their faces appeared on the projection.

"Sam!" they said at once.

"Alex, Clover, what happened?"

Alex looked back. "Some commandos appeared out of nowhere and took over the village. They've got us locked up, but we're okay."

"Is anyone hurt? I heard gunshots?"

Clover grimaced. "They took out the soldiers, but that was enough to scare everyone else into submission. The rest of the team's okay, though."

Alex looked back again. "They've been looking for someone named Dr. Parker. Any ideas what he means? And speaking of which, where are you?"

"I'm with Dr. Parker right now. We're following a secret trail he says leads across the border."

"Are you crazy, Sam?" Clover exclaimed. "What do you intend to do after you get across, given that you make it?"

"Uhh…"

Alex's image shook suddenly and was replaced with Adrian's face. "Sam, are you there?"

"Adrian? What-"

"Listen, I know about your secret assignment with WOOHP, and I can help."

"She's got a what?" exclaimed Alex and Clover.

Adrian ignored them. "I've got a WOOHP contact in the area who owes me a favor. If you follow the trail, there should be a clearing about a mile south of the border. He'll be waiting for you when you get there, but you'd better hurry."

"Gotcha."

Adrian handed the X-Powder back to Alex, and she and Clover stared at Sam as if she'd betrayed them. "I think you've got some explaining to do," said Clover.

Sam sighed sadly. "I…I know. I'll tell you everything when this is over."

"I sure hope so." Clover shut her X-Powder off.

Alex looked at Sam anxiously. "Be careful, Sammie." She shut hers off.

Sam closed her X-Powder and wiped the last tear from her eye. "Thank God they're okay."

Parker finished recovering his breath. "Good. Let's get moving. The border is right down the path. Once we're on the other side of the river we'll be safe."

Sam took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. I'll lead."

Sam took point and led a fast pace down the rocky trail. She thanked her lucky stars she'd chosen to wear tennis shoes today, against her better fashion sensibilities. The uneven trail would have killed her feet in any other pair, and even now the rocks were murder on her ankles. They walked for a good mile before Sam could hear running water.

"You hear that?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's the river. Once we're across we'll be in South Korea."

Sam nodded and smiled. "Then let's hurry!"

They exited the forest and Sam stopped. They were standing over a massive gorge with a rickety wooden bridge leading across. To Sam, it looked like it had been strong in its day, but she wondered if it would even hold her weight now. She turned to Parker and shot him a worried look.

"Don't worry, it's strong. I went across it not too long ago."

Sam swallowed and said, "If you say so."

She led him out on the bridge, which creaked ominously the moment she applied weight to it. She took a deep breath and took another step onto the bridge, and another. Her fear subsided with each successive step, and her confidence grew until she could fully trust her weight to the wooden structure.

Then she looked down and gasped. A churning, swift river ran far below them, lined on either side by jagged rocks. The sides of the gorge were steep and ran nearly vertically down to the water below. The forest seemed to bulge across the air and reach for its other half on the opposite bank as if it were at war with itself. Strange bird calls echoed off the gorge walls, adding to the already ominous atmosphere that pervaded the area.

"Just keep moving," urged Parker, "we're almost there."

Sam nodded and pressed on. They were halfway across, and Sam could clearly see the other side. She started smiling with the knowledge that she'd be getting out of this mess soon enough, but her smile vanished when she saw someone approaching from the other side.

Two men came out of the forest and started crossing the bridge. One of them was younger and average-sized, dressed in combat gear and carrying a box of some sort by the handle in one hand. The other was much older and much bigger than him. The big one was completely bald, and the right side of his face bore a long network of scars, and he wore a heavy uniform of some kind.

They approached Sam and Parker at a steady, unhurried pace, never taking their eyes off of them. Sam backed up, keeping herself between them and Dr. Parker. The two men stopped about fifteen paces away. The younger man focused his attention on Sam and let go of the box. It slammed into the bridge with surprising force, causing the entire structure to shudder and creak loudly.

Sam spaced her feet shoulder width and kept her voice steady. "Who are you?" She asked.

The man's cold, piercing eyes looked straight into hers. "Ten years ago, you helped me put a stop to my uncle's plans to nuke Los Angeles. We both nearly died in the process, and you showed me the value of life. Jog your memory?"

Sam stared at his face, and her memory returned. Ten years ago, Operation Shooting Star, Stephen Ravask, Lana, Jacob…

"J-Jacob? Jacob Ravask? Is that you?"

Jacob nodded. "That's me. Rather, it used to be. The man known as Jacob Ravask no longer exists. I am Fenrir, the Demon Wolf."

Parker backed up and tripped and fell. "Oh God," he muttered, "not him. Not him!"

"F-Fenrir? From Norse mythology?"

Jacob nodded and took a step forward. "Aye."

"What are you doing here?"

Jacob indicated the heavy box. "That is a nuclear weapon. I'm going to take it across the border and detonate it and see what happens."

Sam gasped and stepped back. "What? You…you'll destroy Korea!"

Jacob took a step forward and laughed. "Hardly! This thing's not even a megaton. The most that village will feel is a sudden hot wind. But all I'm interested in is the neutron flare every spy satellite in the hemisphere will register."

Sam's eyes bulged at the notions this secret agent – former secret agent - was tossing around. "Wh-why are you doing this?"

"Because I overestimated how effective that skirmish I started last month would be."

"You started it?" Sam felt fear begin rising in her stomach. "I don't understand."

Jacob stepped forward some more. "Of course you don't. Traitors never understand."

"What? Traitor? I don't-"

Jacob laughed and turned to the other man. "Typical of traitors, eh Leo?"

Leo laughed. "Naturally."

Sam flushed. "Why am I the traitor? You're the one trying to set off a nuclear weapon!"

Jacob's eyes darkened. "You and I were once alike. We had the same mission, Sam, the same purpose. I have remained loyal to that purpose my entire life. But you? You abandoned our sacred calling for a façade."

"Sacred calling? Jacob, you're not making sense!"

"That's because you don't understand. We were both tasked with protecting this world from harm. But you abandoned that task for a so-called normal life, while I have continued fighting for that cause these past ten years." He stepped closer.

"Jacob, we couldn't remain at WOOHP forever. We had our own lives to live!"

"I agree; you're not like me. But even so, you've abandoned your mission." Jacob stepped closer. "There are many ways to carry out our mission, Sam. You are correct in saying you didn't have to stay with WOOHP. But you have turned your back entirely on our calling. Meanwhile, I have found alternate means to carry out my mission. When the United States could no longer support me in my endeavor, I abandoned it and went on my own."

"You became a mercenary?"

"For a little while, yes. But those days are behind me. Now I can act on my true calling." He stepped closer.

"And how does starting World War III accomplish that?"

Jacob snickered. "If you understood even half of what I'm doing, you'd join me in a heartbeat."

"Not if it means doing this." She handed parker the laptop and slid one foot back and settled into a fighting stance. She felt awkward and outmatched. It had been years since she'd fought anyone, and Jacob had likely been fighting continuously for ten years. How was she supposed to stand a chance against him?

Jacob's eyes softened. "The world stands on the brink of ruin, and its people are complacent to the point of suicide. If there were another way, I'd take it. But as it stands, things like this are the only way to rouse mankind to action." He came to within a couple of paces from Sam and looked past her and Parker. "You can go, your work with us is complete." He looked back at Sam coldly. "But the traitor will not pass this point."

Parker got up and hurried past Jacob and cautiously slid past Leo. Leo looked down at him and grinned, his scars pulling one corner of his mouth into a sneer. Parker panicked and ran to the other side of the bridge and vanished down the forest trail. Sam turned her attention on Jacob.

"Don't make me have to do this."

"I will remain loyal to my purpose."

"And if I don't agree with your purpose?"

"Then I will remove you from my path."

Sam half-stepped in and threw a punch, which Jacob blocked effortlessly. He grabbed her arm and wrenched it the other way, causing Sam's shoulder to complain as the joint was painfully twisted and hyper extended. Just when she felt like he was going to twist her shoulder out of the socket, he twisted it in the opposite direction and stepped in. He spun pulled her arm in a swift, smooth circle. Her shoulder followed her arm, and then her body followed her shoulder, and Sam found herself flipping into the air and landing on her face. Jacob backed off a step and looked down at her.

"It's hopeless, Sam. You cannot stop that which is sacred."

Sam got to her feet and rubbed her face. "Shut up!" She aimed a lighting-fast roundhouse kick at his head, but Jacob blocked it and countered with one of his own before she could regain her balance. His kick flung her against the railing and almost over it. Sam clutched her stomach and moaned as she knelt on the ground. Jacob approached her and extended his hand.

"Don't get involved in this, Sam. This is not your fight."

She took his hand. "Not as long as you-" she realized her mistake a second too late. Jacob yanked her to her feet and let go, ducked under her arm, and smashed his elbow into her stomach. Sam's breath escaped her lungs in a violent burst, her ribcage shuddered, and she wanted to vomit. Her body went limp and she fell on the only thing available: Jacob's shoulders.

"Fenrir!" called Leo. "Hurry it up, we've got work to do!"

"Just catching up with an old friend," said Jacob.

Sam looked into Jacob's eyes as tears began forming in hers. "Jacob, don't do this."

Jacob looked back in hers. Sam saw a glimmer of remorse in his cold gaze. It was almost imperceptible, but it was there. "Sam, I have to. There is no other way." He placed his hand on her chest. "If you hit the water just right, you'll live."

"Please…"

Jacob tensed his body. "Drift away, Sam. Drift away."

With that, he hurled her off the bridge. Sam screamed as she plummeted toward the frothing maw, and freefell for a couple of seconds before she regained her bearings. She aimed her head at the water and spread her arms out as the river rushed up to meet her. The water still felt like a brick wall when she hit it, but it didn't kill her. She still bounced off the sandy riverbed and the swift current immediately swept her up and carried her downstream. The impact had knocked the air from her lungs, and they burned with the need for oxygen. She clawed through the water, not knowing the difference between up or down as she tumbled in the raging current. Her head finally broke above water and she gasped for air, but only got a few seconds before the river sucked her under again. Her lungs still craved oxygen, and she was fighting the river's hydraulics with her life. She got above water again, but inhaled almost as much water as air as she was swept through the rapids.

_Oh God, please don't let me die like this. Not today._ She wondered in that moment if God actually listened to her. She had set foot in a church maybe three times in her life, so why should He? Didn't God only listen to people who went to church?

She saw a commotion up ahead, but didn't have enough time to check it out before she was sucked under again. She struggled against the current until a pair of hands grabbed her and held her tight. She heard a voice say, "Got her! Pull us in!" Sam felt the current rushing past her now, and she felt that she was now leaving the river. A second pair of hands took hold of her and they both dragged her to shore.

She felt herself be set down gently, and she propped herself on her elbows as she coughed up river water and filled her lungs with air. She looked up and saw Alex and Clover kneeling in front of her, soaking wet and shivering.

Alex embraced Sam and started crying. "Sammie! We thought we'd lost you."

Sam returned the embrace. "I thought I was a goner too."

Clover joined them. "Oh, Sammie, what's going on?"

"I…I don't know."

They all started laughing, crying, and laugh-crying. They had no idea what was going on around them. The world had become a dangerous place in a matter of hours.

"How did you find me?" asked Sam at length.

"Bob tracked your X-Powder. We knew something was up when Parker showed up at the extraction point alone."

Sam suddenly remembered what had transpired on the bridge. "Guys, we have to get out of here. Something awful is about to happen."

"What?" they asked in unison. Sam was about to answer when she heard a helicopter approaching. She looked up and saw a helicopter fly around the river bend. The side door was open, and Jacob was standing there, looking at them. Sam couldn't really tell from this distance, but she thought he looked…sad. He turned away and slid the door shut and the helicopter flew away.

Clover opened her mouth. "What-"a blinding flash of light cut her off. The girls covered their eyes and turned away from the source, but the light was still unbearable. When the light subsided, they looked back and saw a gigantic fireball rising above the forest.

"Oh my-"Clover was cut off again by a deafening crack and a thunderous rumbling as the sound of the explosion caught up with the light. They were suddenly rocked by a blast of hot wind that nearly blew them over and scattered rocks and twigs and other debris all over them. When the wind subsided, they looked up to find a black mushroom cloud rising into the sky like an angry god.

Tears streamed down their cheeks as they watched the scene unfold. It seemed like the world was ending before their eyes.

Sam lay in her bed waiting to die.

She tried to sleep, but she always had the same nightmare. She was on the bridge again, facing her former ally. Jacob smiled at her, and his mouth was full of fangs. He struck the bridge and shattered it, sending Sam plunging toward the river. She looked around as she fell and found Alex and Clover falling with her. They fell toward the river, but the Earth transformed into an angry wolf with blazing eyes and swallowed them whole. Sam woke up screaming and drenched in sweat, and didn't stop screaming until Brad ran in and held her, speaking soft words to her until she calmed down. She held him until her heart slowed to normal, and he asked if she wanted him to sleep beside her. She said no, it was only a nightmare, and he kissed her and laid her back down and tucked her in. He wished her good night before going back to the living room couch and leaving Sam in the room.

Sam lay in her bed waiting to die.

**End of Part One**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Part Two – Changing Winds**

**Chapter Eleven**

Alex lay curled beside her husband with her back to him. Mark's arm draped over her bare body in a gentle embrace, holding her close to his warmth. Alex held his arm and kept her eyes closed, feeling his slow breath on her neck. They shared one another's warmth beneath the sheets as Mark tried his best to shield Alex from the nightmares that beset her, while she tried to hide from them in her husband's naked strength.

Alex wanted to turn over and face Mark, to bury herself in him and share in his love, but she didn't want him to see the fear in her eyes. Every time they made love over the past couple of days, she couldn't look into his eyes for more than a few moments. She didn't want him to see she was scared. She wanted him to know she was brave. But she knew he could feel it; the tension in her mind that infected her entire body. It trickled down and stained every muscle in her body and infected her heart, damming up her emotions and preventing her from completely giving herself to her husband in their most intimate moments. He felt it in her taught back muscles as his fingers stroked and massaged it. He felt it in her legs as his hands caressed her uneasy thighs.

Alex felt his discomfort through his hands and fingertips as they tried to ease her fear. She knew he feared for her, she could hear it in his voice. She wanted to come clean with him, to lay all her fears on the table and completely entrust herself to Mark's loving strength. But she couldn't. For the first time in their marriage, she was holding back emotionally from Mark, and she didn't know why. She knew she was hurting him. The emotional nakedness they so cherished both in and out of bed was vanishing. Time and again Mark tried to undress Alex's emotions and heal her, but her fear restrained her and upset the intimacy of their lovemaking. Worse yet, Alex feared, no, knew she was hurting not only their pillow games, but their marriage as well. For this reason, they cried themselves to sleep every time they finished. Alex bared her body to Mark, but she hid her soul from him.

Mark stirred beside her. She heard him moan softly and felt his arm hold her closer. She placed a hand on his arm and stroked his hand as she moaned softly. Despite the barrier between her emotions and Mark, their lovemaking sessions had been intense. Sex was turning into a sad sort of game for them; Mark pursued Alex's soul through the winding forest of her mind as he tried to ease her stress and fear while Alex shied away from him and retreated deeper into herself, hiding from his love. She wanted him to catch her and heal her, but her fear kept them apart.

Mark whispered into the back of her neck. "Alex?"

Alex hesitated for what felt like an age. "Hmm?"

"Are you…are you happy?"

Alex paused and turned her head to hear him better. "What?"

Mark swallowed. "Are you happy? Being married to me, I mean?"

Alex touched his hand. "Yes."

Mark traced his finger down her spine from the base of her neck to the place where her back ended and her waist began. "Then…why have you been so distant? This isn't like you."

Alex turned enough to look at him over her shoulder. She reached back and stroked his cheek and smiled softly. "Mark, I am happy. Marrying you was one of the best things I've ever done. Even if we are going through tough times, I wouldn't give up on our marriage for anything."

Mark kissed her tenderly. "But what is bothering you? Why is it that every time I touch you, you run away? Why is every inch of you wracked with stress? Why do your eyes avoid mine?"

Alex remained silent while her eyes watered. She loved her husband so much, but she could not come clean with him, so she only had her tears to answer with.

"Alex. Honey. What's going on? What happened in Korea?" Mark's voice was choking up. "Why do you hide yourself from me? I can feel something bothering you every time we touch, but why can't you tell me?"

Alex turned to face Mark and buried her face in his chest. Mark wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He kissed her head and they both wept. They didn't make love this time. They simply held each other until they fell asleep.

What happened three days ago was carving a rift between Alex and Mark. The mushroom cloud still hung over the Korean forests when they made a hasty landing at a WOOHP observation camp. Bob jumped out of the helicopter and motioned them to follow. The girls, still shivering and wet and wrapped in blankets, followed him into a small tent. Other agents at the entrance handed them towels and a change of clothes. The girls entered the tent and quickly changed and toweled dry before stepping back outside. Bob smiled at them, but it was obvious his mind was in a hundred places.

"Better?"

The girls silently nodded.

"Good. Follow me, Henry wants to see you."

They followed him into a waiting helicopter, where they found Henry waiting for them. He looked calm as ever, but his eyes were dark and focused.

"Hello, ladies. I'm sorry we have to meet on such short notice, but time is not exactly our friend. If you don't mind, please take a seat and we'll be off."

The girls sat down on the bench together, and Bob took a seat across from them. The door closed behind them and the muffled roar of the engines filled the cabin as the rotor blades spun up and quickly lifted the helicopter off the ground. Henry waited until they were cruising high above the Korean countryside before speaking up.

"Before I continue, I must apologize. Both to Sam and to all of you."

"I'll say!" exclaimed Clover. "I should have known something was up when you reactivated our X-Powders."

Henry lowered his eyes. "It is to you two that I owe the biggest apology. I should never have kept the nature of Sam's mission from you. But the sensitivity and scope of her assignment necessitated the secrecy."

Alex pulled her blanket closer around her shoulders. "Why, Henry? Why did you deceive us?"

"It was necessary, Alex. I deeply regret putting the three of you through this. It seems I have underestimated the scale of these recent events."

"Could have fooled me," snarled Clover.

Sam took a deep breath. She wiped away the tears still brimming in her eyes. "Henry, what's going on? I don't understand any of this."

Henry drew a remote control from his pocket and activated a holographic display. "What you are about to see is something WOOHP has been involved in since its conception. It is a lifelong mission Jerry himself passed on to me when he retired, and since then I have made it my personal mission. Unfortunately, I have failed to grasp the true scope of this mission."

Clover held up her hand. "Hold that thought, Benny."

"Benny?"

"First, tell us what the deal is with Sam."

Henry gave Clover a perplexed look and then straightened his tie. "Sam's employer and I have known each other for some time. When I learned of Sam's new assignment, I gave her the option of taking an extra assignment from me."

"Which was?"

"A few weeks ago, one of our most valuable researchers vanished while doing medical research in the area. Sam's mission was to keep her eyes open for any sign of him and contact us should she find any. And find him she did."

Alex leaned on her knees. "So what happened back there? What's with the fireworks?"

Sam turned her face away from Alex.

"I'm afraid Sam will have to tell you that. She was there."

Alex and Clover looked at Sam with a hint of anger in their eyes. Again she was keeping important things from them.

"Sam, what happened?" asked Alex. "Tell us the truth."

Sam brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. Her breath was shaky as she recalled the events on the bridge. She clenched her fists and her lips quivered as she tried to answer.

"I-I-I-I…s-s-sa-sa-saw…"

Alex took her hands and held them. Clover rubbed her back and softened her voice.

"It's okay, Sam. We're not angry. Just tell us what's going on."

Sam swallowed and inhaled sharply. "J-Jacob. I saw Jacob!"

Alex and Clover blinked and looked at each other in confusion. "Who?"

They looked to Henry, who appeared troubled.

Sam raked in another shaky breath and straightened her back. "Jacob Ravask. I saw him. He set off that bomb."

Again Alex and Clover were confused.

"Sam, who are you-"

"I think I might be able to help you with that," Henry interrupted. He pressed a button on his remote and the screen changed from a map of Korea to a picture of a dangerous-looking man accompanied by a brief information list. "This look familiar?"

Sam looked at the display and her eyes widened in terror and her breath trembled. Alex and Clover scrutinized the man's visage for a minute and then their memories returned to an eventful week from ten years ago.

Alex's jaw dropped. "Oh my God."

Clover gaped. "You can't be serious. Sam?"

Sam continued staring at Jacob's visage and started withdrawing closer to Alex. The eyes on the picture were the same eyes he had so coldly met her with on the bridge, before they filled with malicious intent as he explained his plan.

Henry turned off the hologram. "Then it's true. Jacob has gone rogue."

Sam had backed up so close to Alex that Alex had wrapped her blanket around Sam and held her to calm her down. Alex rubbed Sam's shoulder and looked at Henry. "Why would he do that? I thought he was on our side?"

Henry crossed his arms. "Yes. Was. I can't figure out for the life of me why he'd defect. Have you found anything, Bob?"

Bob shook his head. "That's a big negative. I can't even find any info on his old unit. It's like they never existed."

"Black ops units usually don't."

"I know that, Henry. But even I can get info on Black Ops, and I've used every lead I have and found nothing about Section 7, Jacob, or any of his fellow agents."

Clover crossed her arms. "I don't get it. Why would he do that? Is he trying to ignite a world war?"

Sam looked up at Clover with a start. "He said…he said he started that fight last month."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "He did, did he?"

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but her breath came too shakily to permit her to speak. Instead she just nodded.

Henry furrowed his brow. "I see. So he's been behind this whole affair. He is trying to start a war."

"What are we going to do?" asked Clover. "I mean, what are you going to do?"

"We have to find Jacob and bring him in. And that's a tall order given his record."

Sam shuddered as she recalled Jacob's otherworldly talents she'd witnessed firsthand. She recalled his bloody rampage at the processing facility where Stephen had created his bomb. She remembered the cold efficiency with which he took life, and the demonic aura he possessed when doing so. Most vividly she recalled his desperate battle with his uncle Stephen atop the city, how he had challenged the terrorist even though he was weak from sickness, and nearly lost his life as a result.

She never saw him again after that night. After WOOHP picked them up and dropped Sam off at WOOHP headquarters for treatment, the airship took off with Jacob for parts unknown. She didn't really think much about it then. She had cracked ribs, a shattered arm and a broken leg to deal with. By the time she even remembered that Jacob had been carted away without so much as a word she was already being wheeled into the medical ward. After that, the last she heard from him was a short goodbye letter she still had in her keepsake box.

All this time she had revered him as some sort of dark hero; a man of upright convictions who had been led down a dark path. She always felt that his goodness was hampered by repeated alienation and tragic circumstances. Now she didn't know what to think of him. He had coldly looked her in the eye and declared his plans, and then carried them out. He was a terrorist now. She couldn't accept that. There had to be more to this.

"Clover," said Henry, snapping Sam out of her reverie, "what about the soldiers who attacked the village? Any idea who they were?"

Clover shook her head. "Nada. They all spoke Portuguese, but I don't know any Portuguese."

"Portuguese, eh? Well it's a start."

Sam leaned against Alex and rested her head on Alex's shoulder. Alex shifted to support her friend and stroked Sam's back to calm her down. Sam was terrified beyond words. She knew the ramifications nuclear weapons carried with them. She was terrified to think what news stories awaited her when she got back to civilization. Would there be talk of war? Absolutely. The Korean talks were now probably over. Jacob was a man who wasn't supposed to exist. No one would ever be able to pin it on him. Even if they could, what then? Judging by Leo's uniform, it looked as though he had powerful allies.

Henry paced back and forth in the cabin. He stopped and stared out a window for a few minutes. The girls looked to him expecting him to put their minds at ease, but it seemed that he was thinking about something else. Then a light bulb went off in Clover's head.

"Hey Benny, didn't you say this had something to do with WOOHP's founding?"

"Yes," said Henry without turning around. "I'm afraid your friend Jacob may be involved with some very powerful and very dangerous people. But I can't be too sure at the moment."

Sam emerged from her silence. "He's not Jacob anymore."

Henry turned to look at her. "Excuse me?"

"He…he told me. He doesn't go by Jacob anymore."  
"What did he call himself?" asked Alex.

"He called himself…Fenrir."

Henry raised his eyebrows. "Fenrir?"

Sam nodded slowly.

"Then my suspicions were correct. This is not good."

"What suspicions?" asked Clover.

"That's for authorized WOOHP personnel only, Clover."

The girls simultaneously felt the stab of rejection. They were so used to being privy to the inner workings of WOOHP that Henry's refusal to answer Alex's question came like a slap in the face. Truly, things were different now.

The girls didn't argue. Clover simply slid closer to her friends and they all retreated within themselves. They huddled close to one another, feeling like outcasts in an organization that once treated them like family.

At length, Henry turned to them. "Ladies, listen. Everything you've seen and heard today is top-secret. You can't tell anyone about today's events." He looked directly at Alex and Sam. "Not even your spouses."

Alex raised her voice to protest. "But, but-"

"No exceptions, Alex. I know your husband is in the Air Force, but we can't let any of this slip."

"But he can help! He's been working in this area!"  
"Alex, if anyone suspected that you three were involved in today's events, you three Americans, then it could be disastrous."

"What about the rest of Sam's team?" asked Clover.

"They should be on their way to Malaysia thanks to Adrian's efforts. You three were very fortunate to be under his supervision."

Sam rested her head on Alex's shoulder and closed her eyes. She wanted to wake up and find all this to be a bad dream. She counted to ten and opened her eyes. She was still in the helicopter with Alex and Clover. Bob and Jerry were on the far end of the cabin and talking in low voices.

Alex whispered into Sam's ear. "Sammie, is everything going to be okay?"

Clover turned to them and looked to Sam for an answer. All Sam could give was an uncertain look. Clover curled her knees to her chest and rested head on them.

Henry and Bob finished their conversation and Bob went to the front of the helicopter. The girls looked up silently as Henry approached them.

"We'll take you back to Seoul and get you on a plane back to the United States. The State Department is ordering all American nationals in the region to return home immediately."  
"What about you?" asked Clover.

"I'm going to do what I can, but things are about to get very tense over here." Henry suddenly snickered.

"What's so funny?"

"To think, I almost had the two sides come to an agreement when all this happened." He sighed heavily. "Oh well, such is the life of a WOOHP president. Always on the lookout for trouble."

Alex looked out the window. "How long will it take to get back to Seoul?"

"For you? About ten minutes."

"What do you mean, 'For us'?"

"What I mean is, I've got to make one more stop, but you three are getting home as fast as I can manage, so ta-ta ladies." Henry pressed a button on the remote and the bench the girls sat on flipped over and dumped them into a missile in the helicopter's underbelly. The missile's hatch shut them in and the girls screamed in surprise as the missile dropped out of the helicopter and ignited, blasting them to Seoul at Mach 3.

"Well Henry's got one thing in common with Jerry!" shouted Sam above the roar of the rocket engine.

"What's that?" Clover shouted back.

"They both love WOOHPing people with absolutely no warning and as uncomfortably as possible!"

* * *

A short time later, the missile halted abruptly, tossing the girls about inside the tiny compartment with all the comfort of a salad. Sunlight poured in as the hatch opened and the girls spilled out onto a hard cushion. 

"Enjoy your flight, ladies?" said a familiar voice.

The girls looked up and saw Bob standing over them and smiling genially. A quick look around found them inside a small compound on the outskirts of Seoul.

"How did you get here so fast?" asked Clover.

"Trade secret. Right now we've got to get you three home. Come with me, please."

The girls untangled themselves and followed Bob into a small building. Inside they found a three-person sled leading into a tunnel.

"This rocket sled will take you right to the airport. Please keep your hands and feet inside the sled at all times until the ride comes to a complete stop."

Sam and Alex climbed aboard and strapped themselves in. Clover paused and looked at Bob with a worried look on her face. "Wait! What about my stuff? Half my makeup and some of my favorite outfits are still in North Korea!"

"We'll take care of your luggage as soon as possible. Right now you three have to get airborne as soon as possible."  
"Why not just use a WOOHP plane?" asked Sam.

"Because you're not WOOHP agents anymore." He shoved Clover in and smiled as he waved to them. "Farewell ladies, and stay safe. We're heading for interesting times."

"What do you mean by thaaaaaat!" Bob pressed the ignition button and the sled roared down the tunnel.

After a harrowing five-minute ride through twisting tunnels and hairpin turns, the sled came to an abrupt halt. The girls braced for the ejection, but it never came. Instead, they heard a small mechanical whir and three boarding passes and three passports appeared in front of them from slots in the dashboard.

"Please take your boarding passes and passports," said a mechanical female voice.

"Hey, that sounds a lot like GLADIS," remarked Alex.

"Have a nice day."

The girls felt small explosions go off under their seats and they were launched toward a hole in the roof. Moments later they fell through a wall panel and tumbled into a ladies' room in the airport. The girls picked themselves off the floor and straightened themselves out as best they could in the bathroom mirrors and headed out into the airport.

The airport was in turmoil. People hurried down the corridor with little regard for one another, hellbent on reaching their terminals before war broke out and trapped them thousands of miles from home. The girls eased out of the bathroom and joined the surging crowd heading to their end of the airport. No one paid them any attention or asked them directions. It was as if the urgency of today's events had focused everyone's minds. They knew exactly where they had to go, what they had to do, and what forms they needed. The customs personnel remarked how fluidly everything was going today despite everything to the contrary. Not one person argued with the guards at the security checkpoints. People exchanging their tickets for earlier boarding passes had all their paperwork lined up and ready to go. Despite the surge of passengers, things were going very smoothly at the airport that day.

The girls hurried to their terminal and found a company jet waiting for them outside. They handed their boarding passes to the clerk and hurried outside to the waiting airplane. Standing at the hatch was not a flight attendant, but Dr. Tsubaki. He looked at Sam solemnly as she approached, and Sam couldn't help but think he looked like Jerry the way he stood like that, his hands in his pockets and the wind playing with his coat and tie. Alex and Clover boarded without so much as a glance from him, but Sam stopped and swallowed as she stared him in the eye.

"Dr. Tsubaki, I-"

"No Sam, I'm the one who should apologize."

"You?"  
Tsubaki nodded. "Yes, me. Henry warned me that something might happen here, but I didn't listen. Everything that has happened to you and your friends is entirely my fault."

"But…"

"Hush, Sam. You've had a long day. Go take a seat. The bed compartment is all yours if you need it."

Sam opened her mouth to speak and shut it. Even if Tsubaki was taking full responsibility for what happened to her, she still felt that it was her fault somehow, that she was somehow responsible for Jacob's actions.

She turned to watch the setting sun descend into the clouds. A hot wind picked up and blew her hair out behind her. She wanted the sun to stand still, fearing what its next rise would bring. Tsubaki watched her for a moment, heavy with remorse for putting her through what she'd seen today. His slip-up was inexcusable. He dreaded what Jerry would say to him next time they spoke. He sighed heavily and turned into the hatch.

"Come along Sam. We have to get going."

Sam watched the sun vanish into the clouds and followed Tsubaki into the plane.

* * *

Alex awoke to find the bed void of Mark. She found a note on his pillow that read: 

"In the kitchen. Breakfast is ready. Love, Mark."

Alex set note on the bedside table and stretched in the warm sunlight. She relaxed and stared out the window. A tree mostly obscured the view, but it did offer her a glimpse of the brilliant blue sky above. A bird alighted on a branch and chirped a few notes before taking off again. Alex sighed contentedly. All those horrible things from the other day felt like a bad dream in the solitude of her bedroom. She felt that perhaps she could finally come clean with him and put her fears to rest and get their marriage back on track. _Screw Henry and screw WOOHP_, she thought. _My marriage is more important than them. And Mark's in the Air Force intelligence. He probably knows more about this than I do._ She allowed herself one more stretch and climbed out of bed. She tied her robe around herself and went to the living room.

She found Mark sitting at the table, reading the newspaper with a steaming cup of coffee before him.

"Good morning, honey."

Alex leaned over and kissed him tenderly. "Good morning, sweetie."

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah, okay. Where's breakfast?"

"In the oven. Careful, the plate's hot."

Alex walked into the kitchen and inspected the oven to find a plate covered in aluminum foil. She withdrew it using a dishrag and off the foil. Underneath was a plate of scrambled eggs and sausages.

"There's fresh fruit in the fridge," called Mark from the dining table.

"Okay!" Alex found a bowl of freshly-cut fruit in the refrigerator and fished the orange juice out from behind the milk. She joined Mark at the table after pouring a glass of orange juice and ate hungrily.

"God, I'm starving!"

"I'll bet. You haven't eaten much since you got back. Feeling better?"

Alex nodded with a mouthful of sausage and swallowed. "Loads. Thanks for being there. You have no idea how big a help you've been."

Mark nodded. "All because I love you."

"I love you too."

Alex went back to breakfast and Mark went back to the paper. Alex glanced up and saw the headline.

"WAR?" it read. Alex looked past the paper at her husband and sighed heavily. Mark heard her and looked up to find his wife looking at him sadly.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

Alex pursed her lips. She was about to say it was nothing, but she was tired of hiding from the love of her life. "Mark, will we go to war?"

Mark lowered his eyes and set the paper down. He leaned on the table and rubbed his temples. "I don't know, Alex. I honestly don't know."

"If we do, will you go?"

"Probably."

Alex sighed more heavily. She knew he'd say that, but she wanted him to say it in order to ease her tension. She was still scared of him going off to war, but it comforted her in some way knowing that he knew this as well.

At length she broke the silence that fell on the apartment. "Mark?"

He looked up. "Hmm?"

"I…I just want you to know, that even if you do get sent off to war, I still love you and you alone."

Mark took her hand in his and smiled. "And I you. That will never change, Alex. Ever."

Alex opened her mouth to speak, but she had to stop and wipe a tear from her eye so she could smile properly.

"Thank you Mark. Thank you for everything."


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

David watched the sun rise through the kitchen window as he sipped at his piping hot coffee. Ruth and Nicholas were still sound asleep, but sleep came to him fitfully last night. Around four in the morning he finally gave up and delicately arose so as not to disturb Ruth from her slumber.

"All because of one little phone call," he muttered into his mug.

His eyes drifted to the counter, where a notepad lay open next to the phone. On it Ruth had written a simple note:

"Sam, Alex, and Clover hurt. Call immediately – Arnold."

David had called Arnold and was shocked at what he heard. It turned out that they were in Korea with the company Sam worked for, and something went horribly wrong. All he knew at the moment was what anyone else knew – terrorists had detonated a nuclear weapon in North Korea, effectively ending any hope of further negotiations between the two nations. Sam, Alex, and Clover had been in the area when the bomb was detonated, and they had been rushed back to the US with great discretion. This was as much as he and the rest of the FBI knew. Since this was an overseas incident, the CIA was handling it, and David lacked security clearance to the CIA's network.

So far information related to the incident was coming at less than a trickle. Speculation was flying across every news station and every information network as to the identity and motive of the terrorists. That's what worried David the most. It had been four days since the incident, and not one demand had been made by anyone. It was clear that this was a deliberate attempt by someone to stop the talks, but who? North Korea was quick to blame South Korea, but South Korea was not a nuclear power. If it was them, then it meant South Korea had acquired an illegal weapon and used it against the North. But why detonate it in the middle of nowhere, or use such a small weapon? Larger-scale weapons were easy enough to procure, so why use something so small? And if North Korea was the culprit, then why do something so foolish? While it was true that they had a million-man army, they were over thirty years behind the rest of the world in terms of technology and training. And if they did try to invade the South, then the entire free world would descend upon Pyongang like locusts. The only reason they would try to incite a conflict was if they were sure they could win…

At any rate, one thing was clear: someone wanted North and South Korea to start fighting. Given the South's relatively sparse military force, they'd be crushed by the North's less advanced but far larger army. Should it come to blows, the US would inevitably respond in kind, and then what? Who would take sides with whom?

But those weren't the questions he was supposed to answer. Ever since that day, the FBI had been on high alert, searching for possible clues within US borders. David was putting in overtime every day. He hadn't seen Nicholas awake since then. He'd returned after dark every day and come home exhausted each time. The only comfort he received was in Ruth's arms as they lay beside one another in bed as he stroked her curly hair and she massaged his knotted back.

Another thing that spooked him was the girls' lapse into silence. Thus far, Clover was the only one who would answer her phone.

"Hello?" she had said.

"Clover?" David asked.

"Huhn? Who is this?"

"It's me, David. I heard you guys got in an accident." David chose his words carefully. He needed to sound like he was in the dark.

Clover paused. "…Yeah, we got in an accident. Sam and Clover are pretty shook up."

Clover sounded drunk.

"So yeah, we're okay, just, you know, kind of shaky. It was one hell of an accident."

"So I heard. Have you talked to Sam or Alex yet? They won't answer their phones."

"Not since the airport, no."

"Why is that? Was the accident really that bad?"

A pause. "David, their problem is they haven't discovered the wonders of alcohol."

"Clover, you're drunk, aren't you?"

"Hell yeah, I'm drunk! I might not have answered the phone if I weren't!"

"Clover, don't-"

"Don't what? Hide from my problems in the bottom of a bottle? Tell you what, Davy. You go through the living Hell my friends and I have been through without hitting the booze and then we'll talk, okay?"

"Clover, what happened?"

Another long pause. "Look, if I could tell you, I would, okay? But there are some things we have to keep between ourselves, and this is one of them. Right now about the only thing keeping me sane is Mr. Rummy."

"Clover, you should talk to someone about this. It will only eat you up if you keep it inside. Lord knows what Sam and Alex are going through."

Another pause. "I will David. Just, not right now, okay?"

Ruth entered the kitchen almost noiselessly as the sun rose above the horizon. David sensed her presence before he heard her. He stood still and let her approach from behind and wrap her arms around his waist.

"Up already?"

Ruth nodded against his back.

"How's the baby?"

"The baby's fine. It's you I'm worried about."

David faced her and lowered his mug and turned around. "Why is that? I'm perfectly fine."

Ruth shook her head and took his arms. "No you're not. You come home late at night, you're stressed-out, you hardly say a word to me before you're either asleep or out the door, and now you're starting to lose sleep." She stood up and went over to him and stroked his jaw. "What's going on, David? Between you and what happened in Korea, I'm scared."

David set his mug down and embraced his wife. "It's okay. There's nothing to be scared of. We're just very busy at the bureau, that's all."

Ruth buried her face in his chest. "What about your friends? Those girls, I mean?"

"They had a bad accident, but I think they're okay for the most part. They just have to get over the post-traumatic stress."

"And you?"

"I'm fine."

Ruth looked up at him. Her eyes told that she wanted to believe him, but she couldn't. "You're not. I know you're not okay. Something's really bothering you. It's not this Korean business, is it?"

David sighed deeply and rubbed her back. "I…I can't lie to you."

"Then tell me what it is."

"It's the girls. They won't answer their phones aside from Clover, and that's only because she's been drinking."

"Go on."

"Whatever they went through was really awful, and I feel like I owe it to them to help out."

"Why is that? You told me they were mostly just friends from high school."

"I don't know. Mostly just because I care, and because I think I can help them."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know."

Ruth buried her face in David's shoulder and David held her tight. They stood together for a few minutes while David tried to come up with a way to help his friends. At length, Ruth looked up and spoke.

"I know!"

"What?"

"Why don't we invite them over for lunch tomorrow? It's Sunday, so I doubt even you will be working then."

"What good will that do?"  
"Well it sounds like they haven't left their homes since they got back. It would at least get them out into the sun. We can use the big dining room."

David glanced over Ruth into the dining room. The table seated eight people, but it hadn't been used for eating in months. Instead it was coated in work-related papers and garnished with David's laptop. He sighed and stroked Ruth's back.

"You know, that sounds like a great idea. I'll invite Alex's husband and Sam's fiancée as well. If it's as bad as I think they might be able to coax the girls out of hiding."

"Mmh. What about Clover? Didn't you say she was single?"

"She's got a roommate. Maybe Mandy can help."

"Maybe. It's worth a shot, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it is. I'll take care of calling them. I'll leave the food up to you, okay?"

"Sounds great!" Ruth closed her eyes and lifted her chin a little, and David responded by planting a kiss on her lips.

"That might be just the ticket," said David. "A nice, simple get-together."

"Hmm, glad you like it. I'd better start looking for a recipe. Do you know what kind of food they like?"

"The main thing is that Clover's a vegetarian."

Ruth tapped her chin thoughtfully. I know a few things. Maybe eggplant lasagna or, oh let me get my cookbook out and see."

Ruth broke the embrace and went into the kitchen. David picked his mug back up and drained the last of his coffee before setting the mug in the sink.

"You think it will work?" asked Ruth.

"Let's hope so," said David as he picked up the phone and dialed Sam's apartment.

* * *

Brad helped Sam out of the car in the bright Sunday sun. She rose slowly from her seat, resisting Brad's attempt to remove her from her comfort zone. Lately her bed was the only place that truly felt safe anymore. Every time she ventured into the living room either the radio or the TV was broadcasting a near-endless report on what was now known as the Korean Incident. Talks of war were frequent. The entire US military was on high alert. They way they talked about the gloomy situation, Sam felt that martial law was the next natural step in the situation's evolution. Sam didn't feel safe in her living room. In the kitchen, every instrument somehow reminded her of her encounter with Jacob and his cohort. She couldn't decide which one scared her more: the one who actually attacked her, or the one in the uniform that stood back and smiled approvingly the whole time. Either way, they were both bad news.

The bathroom offered her some solace, especially in the tub, but the mirror upset her. Looking into it, an ashen, disheveled young woman looked back. Her hair was a disaster, her eyes lined and red with worry, and her skin was ghastly. It wasn't from a lack of makeup, she knew. It was from all the anxiety over the past few days. She stared at her ashen reflection and spit, barking a curse on Jacob for ruining her life. Yes ruined, she thought. Her life was now ruined. Tsubaki was being more than generous by giving her as much time off to recover as she needed, but she didn't know if she could ever be motivated to work ever again. All because one man, whom she once respected as a defender of peace, had turned against both her and the entire world they once protected.

Wasn't that what he was so mad at her about? That _she_ had failed to do her job; her mission as he called it? But why? He knew she couldn't stay with WOOHP forever. So why did he seem so upset? What really frightened her was that she didn't know what he wanted. Given that they were only on the bridge for a few minutes, she had no idea what he might have been thinking. The only clue she had was the faintest glimmer of compassion she saw in his face moments before he threw her off the bridge. Why did he look at her that way? What were his real feelings?

These and more questions dogged her day and night. Even if she wasn't responsible for these turn of events, she still felt that she was part of them. One question always bubbled to the surface: Who is Jacob Ravask?

Brad half-pulled her out of the car and Sam found herself standing in David's driveway. She had cleaned herself up as best she could, but fatigue and anxiety bled through her makeup and made her appear ten years older than she was.

"Sam?" asked Brad as he took her hand.

"Hmm?"

"You really need to relax. Nothing's going to hurt you."

Sam looked away from him and sighed. "I'm trying. I really am."

Brad leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I know you are. And I'm here to help."

Sam brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I know. Thanks."

Sam took his arm and they walked to the front door. Brad knocked and a few moments later Ruth greeted them at the door with a warm smile.

"Sam! Glad you could make it!"

"Uh, yeah, good to see you too."

Ruth hugged Sam, who recoiled a bit and then lightly patted Ruth on the back.

"And Brad, was it? Good to see you again."

Brad shook her hand and smiled. "And you. May we come in?"

"Certainly!" said Ruth as she stood aside to let them in.

Sam and Brad entered to find the others already inside and seated in the living room. Alex leaned against Mark on the love seat, and Mandy sat in her wheelchair beside Clover's chair. Mandy and the guys appeared to dominate the conversation. Alex leaned against her husband, hardly moving except for her eyes as they followed the course of the conversation. Clover sank into her chair, her eyes distant and distracted. Sam pursed her lips as she entered the room. It broke her heart to see her friends like this, and she knew she was acting no better.

Sam and Brad took a seat on the large couch and Brad draped his arm around her shoulders. Sam reached up and took his hand in hers and he softly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. She looked over to Alex and Clover and smiled at them.

"Hey girls. What's happening?"

Alex heaved a heavy sigh. "Hey Sammie, nothing much."

Clover looked up and her eyes focused on Sam. "Same here. Not much going on right now."

Mandy crossed her arms. "Oh really? Do I have to tell her about all the work our clients found while you were away, and that they're practically fawning at your feet in gratitude?"

"Oh, yeah I forgot about that."

Mandy shot Clover an annoyed look and returned to her conversation with Mark and David.

David looked over his shoulder at Ruth as she entered and they exchanged worried glances. Sam, Alex, and Clover remained stone-like in one another's company. Normally, anytime they were together produced a fountain of chitchat, but now they seemed content with letting the others dominate the conversation. David looked at Ruth again, and she shook her head and sighed sadly.

She quickly composed herself and let a warm smile crawl across her face. "Okay! Lunch is ready!"

Mark and Alex stood up together. Alex took Mark's arm and leaned close to him as they walked to the dining room. Mandy looked at Clover expectantly and crossed her arms.

"Well?"

Clover glared at her and stood up with a grunt. She walked around Mandy and wheeled her slowly across the floor into the dining room. Brad stood up, but Sam remained seated. Brad turned around and looked at her with concern.

"Come on, Sam. It's time to eat."

Sam responded with a sharp snort.

"Sam? Come on, honey. Don't you want to eat with your friends."

Sam took a deep breath and let out a quiet moan.

"Sam, get up. You're starting to worry me."

Brad took Sam's arms and pulled her up to her feet. Sam put up a little resistance, but mostly just let Brad do whatever he wanted. He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the dining room.

"Are you hungry?"

Sam shook her head slowly.

"You need to eat something. You didn't eat at all yesterday, and all you had the day before that was a muffin."

Sam moaned in agreement and let him guide her to the dining room. She had no real intention of eating, but decided she would force as much down her throat as she could, if only for the sake of her hosts. Sam didn't understand why she felt so lifeless. Her whole life had been devoted to vitality and progress, but now even taking a step forward felt like a titanic effort on her part. Something in her life was gone. It was that sense of hope for a better tomorrow. When Jacob detonated that bomb, it was as if the world was over in an instant. Soon there would be war, and then it would be over for sure. She looked to her fiancée for assurance as they sat at the table, and he smiled at her and lightly stroked the back of her hand. She smiled weakly in return and had her attention called away to a sharp ringing sound. David was tapping the side of his glass with his fork and clearing his throat.

"Welcome to our house, everyone. It's good to see you all again."

Sam and Clover looked at him with feigned interest. Alex, though visibly distracted, still managed to show genuine interest in his speech.

"Before we begin, I'd like to propose a toast." He picked up his glass. "I'd like to toast to our friendship. My hope is that it will be steadfast, even as we face these uneasy times before us. I am all too aware of what happened last week, and I know that some of us may be more directly affected than others."

Alex's hand wrapped around Mark's and squeezed it.

"I know some of us have seen difficult times even before all this," he glanced at Mandy, "but we really are facing truly difficult times ahead. But if we stay together, I know we can ride them out." He raised his glass. "So here's to us. That our fellowship will see this through."

Everyone raised his or her glass. "Cheers!"

With that, the dish covers and pot lids came off with clouds of steam and the room was filled with the rich aroma of Ruth's cooking. Alex's appetite returned with a vengeance and she helped herself to the meal laid out before her. Like the others, her appetite had diminished over the past few days, but now she found herself ravenous. She was ever thankful to have Mark with her through the whole ordeal, and even though she wasn't quite over it, she was much better off than she would be without him. Yet another reason to be thankful she married him.

Clover helped load up Mandy's plate with the items Mandy indicated. Her plate filled up quickly and Clover set it before her hungry roommate. Clover then picked up her plate and surveyed the items. Ruth had prepared plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, but Clover wasn't feeling particularly hungry. Clover picked up her fork to spear some vegetables, but her fork hovered in mid-air as she stared through the table.

Mandy noticed Clover's catatonic state and elbowed her. "Clover! Are you going to sit there and insult our hosts?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Clover speared some asparagus and scooped up some salad. She drizzled some Italian dressing over the salad and paused after replacing the cap on the bottle. She stared at the meager portions before her and sighed. She knew she needed to eat, but wasn't sure she could make her hand bring the food to her mouth. She felt something squeeze her arm and looked up to find Alex leaning close and holding her arm.

"It's okay, Clover. We're here. We won't leave you alone, no matter what happens."

Clover locked eyes with her. "Do you honestly think that's what's bothering me?" She paused and sighed. "Well you're absolutely right. Thanks, Alex."

Alex winked at her. "No problem, girlie."

Clover forked a mouthful of salad into her mouth, and found it quite tasty. She still wasn't that hungry, but the desire to eat returned and she was soon reloading her plate with more food.

Sam allowed Brad to load her plate, but she couldn't do much more than poke at it with her fork. Absolutely nothing interested her, not even Ruth's tender pot roast or the potatoes. She poked at them half-heartedly, despite the looks she was getting from the rest of the table. She really didn't care about anything.

"Sam? Are you okay, honey?" asked Brad.

Sam nodded. "I'm…okay. Just not very hungry is all."

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Sam, I am worried about you. You must be starving by now. You need to eat something."

Sam looked up and glared at Brad. "I'm. Fine. Excuse me, I need to powder my nose."

Sam left the table in a rage and the table fell silent. Alex looked to Clover and Mark, and both their faces showed deep concern. She calmly folded her napkin and placed it on the table.

"I need to freshen up, too. Be back in a sec, okay?" she winked at Ruth and David and left the room with a spring in her step. She found her way to the bathroom and discovered the door closed but unlocked. She eased the door open and heard muffled sobs coming from inside.

"Sammie?" Alex looked inside and found Sam leaning over the sink. Her hair hung down around her face and obscured her expression.

"Alex? What are you doing?"

"I…I thought you looked upset at the table, so I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, really. Go back to the table. I'll be there in a second."

Alex was about to say "okay" and go back, but her conscience got the better of her.

"No you're not, Sam. Brad said you haven't eaten in over a day, and that's not healthy at all."

"So I'm not hungry. Big deal."

"Yes, it is a big deal! Sam, I'm not going to let you hurt yourself!"

Sam looked up. Her eyebrows were narrowed and her eyes focused as if Alex was an opponent. "Leave me alone. This is none of your goddamn business."

"It is too my go…my business! Sammie, you're my best friend. We're supposed to look out for each other. You're starting to hurt yourself, and I want to help you." She started reaching for Sam's shoulder. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

Sam slapped Alex's hand away. "If you think this is about what happened in Korea, well, you're absolutely right! But this is my problem, Alex. I don't want you or anyone else to have anything to do with this! This is my problem and mine alone." She took a deep breath and looked away from Alex. "Please leave, I need to be alone for a minute."

Alex clenched her fist and relaxed it. She grimaced and spoke to Sam.

"Sammie, forgive me, but this is for your own good."

Sam's cheek burned as Alex's palm struck it. The slap echoed slightly off the bathroom mirror and Sam's eyes widened in shock as Alex completed her follow-through. Sam stumbled back half a step and held her hand to her still-burning cheek as she stared at Alex in shock.

"Wh-what was that for?"

Alex lowered her hand so she could use it to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes. "You don't think this affects me? Mark is an active member of the Air Force. We both know that he could get called away at any minute for God knows how long. We spend each passing hour waiting for his cell phone to ring and him finding it's from his commander. His bag has been packed and waiting by the door for the past week just in case. This is my husband, Sammie! The man I pledged to love for the rest of my life! He could be going to war at any minute! Do you know how that makes me feel? Do you have any idea how stressed-out both of us are at the thought that we could be separated for years if this Korea thing blows up? I've lost so much sleep over it I feel nauseated when I get up in the mornings. We can't even be as intimate with each other as we used to because I'm so worried about everything. Sam, you're not alone. We're all suffering in our own way because of this. But we don't have to suffer alone. Mark has been nothing but encouraging to me this past week, and he still has no idea what happened over there. I just want you to open up and share your burden with us." Alex stepped closer. "We're your friends, Sammie. Friends help each other. I'm scared to death, but I can still help you."

Sam looked into Alex's mournful eyes and her anger dissolved. She embraced her childhood friend and quietly sobbed into her shoulder as she felt a massive burden fall from her shoulders. Even if it wounded her pride, she felt such a sweet sense of relief at sharing her feelings with Alex. She sniffed and stood back from Alex as she wiped her tears away.

"Alex, I know I'm a prideful bitch, but I'll try not to keep things from you. I need your help, but I just have trouble relying on others, is all."

Alex smiled and giggled. "You're prideful alright, but I wouldn't call you that other thing. Let's get back to lunch!"

Sam took a deep breath and composed herself. "Okay, but I'm still not very-" a loud growl gurgled in Sam's stomach and Alex quirked an eyebrow as Sam turned red. "Never mind. I'm famished!"

Alex giggled and the light in the house warmed up. "Then let's get you some grub!"

Alex and Sam returned to the table in high spirits. Sam sat down and quickly devoured the food on her plate before helping herself to seconds. Brad blinked in confusion and leaned close to her.

"What happened?" he whispered. "You're certainly chipper all of a sudden."

Sam swallowed a mouthful of potatoes and leaned close to his face and smiled. "I just had to be reminded that I get by with a little help from my friends." She winked at him and returned to her lunch. Brad raised an eyebrow and looked to Alex. She smiled at him coyly as she fed Mark a strawberry. Brad shrugged and touched his fiancée's foot under the table, and she responded by touching his leg with her toes.

Clover didn't appear to eat much, but the truth was she was eating a little at a time. She was actually on her fourth serving, though no one could tell. Truth be told she was starving, but there was no way in Hell she'd ever lose her cool in front of so many close friends. Thus she ate slowly and carefully and served herself small portions at a time, and no one was the wiser. Ruth, however, was on to her, but kept quiet for Clover's sake.

Eventually, all the food was consumed and everyone's stomach was full. Ruth got up to collect plates and David replaced them with coffee. The conversation became light and airy, a vast change from the dark, stilted conversation from earlier.

"Hey Ruth, where's Nicholas?" asked Alex.

"Oh, he's asleep. I made sure to feed him good before you guys got here. I'm surprised he hasn't-"

As if on cue, Nicholas' crying began transmitting over the monitor.

"Speak of the Devil. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted." Ruth turned to go down the hall to the nursery.

Alex set her cup down. "Can I come?" Her eyes were starry and hopeful.

Ruth laughed. "Let me change his diaper first and then I'll bring him out."

Alex deflated a little, but here eyes were still full of starlight. "Okay, we're not going anywhere."

Ruth disappeared down the hallway. Sam flipped her hair back and looked to David.

"So, how are things at the FBI?"  
David sighed. "Crazy. This Korea thing has us on edge, looking out for domestic problems that may be related to it. On top of that, I'm still on a case I've been on for a couple of weeks that I've made little progress on."

Sam sipped at her coffee. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I hope so. So what are you up to?"

Sam sighed. "I've been on leave from work after what happened to us over there."

"That's right, you guys were right in the middle of it."

"Mm-hmm. But I think I'm ready to go back to work now. I'm feeling like a total bedbug right now, and it's just started getting to me."

"Well that's good. How about you, Clover?"

"Me? I have to pick up the slack at the agency until Mandy here can walk again."

Mandy looked at her darkly. "That'll be sooner than you think, Clover. Just you wait."

Clover calmly sipped her coffee. "I'm ready for any thing, any time, anywhere. Just bring it."

Mandy continued glaring at her as she took another sip.

"And what about you, Alex?" David asked.

"Unlike Sam, I didn't get any leave since the trip counted as time off for me, so it was back to the salt mines almost as soon as I got back."

"I see. How's that been?"

"Business as usual. It keeps my mind off recent events and gets me back into a familiar routine, so it's all good."

"Glad to hear it. Anything else happening?" David winked at her.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You know…" David's wandered to Ruth as she walked in with Nicholas.

Alex immediately flushed and tried to vanish. "David! Don't tease us about that! But if you must know, I'm not pregnant!"

David laughed. "Okay, just checking."

Mark was beside himself with laughter. Alex crossed her arms and fumed. "Honestly, I have a feeling that the day I am pregnant you'll all ignore me."

"That's not true!" said Clover. "You'll need me to pick out all the cutest baby clothes and decorate your nursery.

"And you'll need my help to set up a college fund and help organize your budget around the baby," said Sam.

Alex held up her hands in distress. "Guys, guys! We're not having a baby yet, not until we move into a house, remember? Geez, you're more impatient than I am!"

Sam and Clover shared a good laugh at Alex's expense and steered the conversation in a different direction. Ruth sat down next to Alex and the two women began entertaining the baby boy. The group talked for another half hour before they felt the conversation wind down and the desire to head home and rest permeated David and Ruth's guests. Brad looked to Sam, who nodded assent. He was just about to announce their departure when the doorbell rang.

David stood up and circled the table on his way to the front door. "Now who could that be?"

He opened the front door and his eyes widened in shock. Ramirez, the criminal mastermind from the case, stood on the other side of the screen door. His disheveled appearance, bloodshot eyes, and short breath told David that Ramirez had seen better days. He looked as if someone had been chasing him, someone with a serious agenda or a grudge against the gangster.

"Ramirez?"

"Yeah, that's me. I need help. Bad."

Sam walked in. "Who is it, David?" She studied the portly Hispanic for a moment before she finally recognized him and gasped. "No way! It's you!"

Ramirez looked past David at Sam, but no spark of recognition came to his eyes. "You know me?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, but I doubt you know who I am."

"Sure don't."

David resumed control of the conversation. "Ramirez, what's going on?"

"Can I come in? I feel naked out here."

David looked around outside and then opened the screen door enough to let Ramirez in. "Come on. And no funny business."

Ramirez slipped in and David locked the door behind him. "Ruth!" he called.

"Yes dear?" she answered from the dining room.

"Get my cell phone. Now."

Ruth hesitated a moment. "Yes, dear."

David showed Ramirez to a chair and Sam followed him. The others peeked in out of curiosity and filed into the living room.

David crossed his arms. "What is this about? Why did you come here?"

Ramirez wrung his hands. "I'm in big trouble, Mr?"

"Just call me David."

"David. I'm in deep trouble with some really bad people."

"You're really bad people."

Ramirez shook his head. "I'm a saint compared to these people. I helped 'em out years back, and now they want to shut me up for good."

"Someone's put a hit on you?"

Ramirez nodded. "Uh-huh. They tried to get me last night. Took out all my bodyguards in less than a minute and blew up my car. I barely escaped. I've been on the run since then, and when I saw the government plates on your car I came here."

"Who's after you?"

"I can't say." He looked at the others. "Not in front of them."

David looked over his shoulder at his guests. Ruth entered and handed him his cell phone. "I'm sorry, but you guys have to go now. FBI business."

The girls looked at each other in alarm.

"Will you be okay?" asked Mark.

"I'll be fine. You guys get going." David opened his cell phone and dialed headquarters. Ruth began showing everyone to the door.

"I'm so sorry it had to end this way. Sometimes David's work gets in the way of everything."

Sam shook her hand. "It's okay. We had a wonderful afternoon. We should do this again sometime, when David's not working on a big project."

Ruth nodded. "We will. See you all later, then!"

"Bye!" They all waved and began filing out the door. Ruth grabbed Alex's shoulder as she passed and cleared her throat.

"Alex?"

Alex grinned guiltily and turned around to reveal Nicholas was still in her arms. Ruth flatstared her and held her hands out. Alex handed Nicholas back to her and scratched her head.

"Honestly, I completely forgot he was there!"

"Sure you did."

The two women faced each other for a moment before breaking into giggles.

"See you later, Ruth!" said Alex as she stepped out the door with Mark.

"Come back again, you two!" Ruth called after them.

The screen door swung shut and Ruth closed the front door. The house was now silent aside from David's half the phone conversation. She closed her mind to it, unwilling to let go of the wonderful afternoon she'd just spent with David's friends. She hated the FBI at times because of things like this. She just wanted Nicholas to grow up in a good home with his father around to raise him. She sometimes wondered if that was possible as long as David continued his service with the Bureau.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Sam received a hero's welcome at work the next day. In her haste to clean up and get ready, she'd forgotten to call ahead and let Tsubaki know she was returning, which explained the receptionist's ecstatic reaction when she entered the lobby.

"Sam!" she said as she bolted from her chair. "You're back!"

Sam smiled at her as they hugged each other. "Yep! I sure am. Good to be back, Debbie."

"Why didn't you call ahead? We've been worried sick about you?"

Sam blushed a shade. "Worried? About me?"

"Well you are Tsubaki's favorite, aren't you? We were about to start a betting pool to see when he'd have a breakdown."

Sam flushed and laughed nervously. "I am so not Tsubaki's favorite!"  
Debbie wagged a finger and tut-tutted. "Don't deny it. We all know he dotes on you. You just like to pretend he treats you like everyone else."

"Debbie!"

Debbie laughed and went back behind her desk. "I'll let the old man know you're here. Everyone else is all yours."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks."

She crossed the lobby and rode an empty elevator to her floor. She took a moment to check herself in the elevator car's polished steel walls. She carefully scrutinized her reflection, but she did not find one thing out of place. Her mascara was perfectly applied and her makeup lightly dusted her complexion to dull the sheen in the harsh office lights. Her hair was tied up in her favorite work style with a few tresses left hanging to frame her face. She smoothed out her skirt and adjusted her jacket just as the tone sounded to announce she'd arrived. She turned around and took a deep breath as the doors opened and she stepped back into her professional life.

She made it past the first few interns unnoticed – they never noticed anything that didn't directly concern them anyway – and then turned a corner and surprised Lana so badly that the girl dropped the stacks of folders she was carrying.

"Sam! You're back!" Lana ignored the mess she just made and hugged Sam. "We all heard about what happened. We were so worried about you!"

Sam returned the embrace. "Hey! Good to be back!"

Lana let go of Sam and shouted down the hallway. "Hey everybody! Sam's back!"

Sam turned bright red as heads popped out of doors and over cubicles to see what the commotion was all about.

"Lana! Stop it!"

Lana giggled and knelt to pick up the folders. "You were gone for over a week. I was afraid you had quit."

Sam knelt and helped her clean up the mess. "I don't give up that easily. I don't think I'm done with this company just yet."

"Well that's good." Sam helped load the folders into Lana's arms. "If you left, who would Tsubaki dote on?"

Sam lightly slapped Lana's arm. "Cut it out! He does not dote on me!"

"Suit yourself. Have fun, Sammie!" Lana brushed past Sam and ducked into one of the offices. Sam took a deep breath and strode into the main office floor. Everyone seemed happy to see her and leaned out of their cubicles to greet her or stopped her for a hug or handshake. An intern ran up to her and smooched her hand.

"Oh Sam, thank God you're back!" blubbered the young man. "Tsubaki's been a total firecracker while you were gone! He's fired like ten people over the week!"

Sam gaped. "Are you serious?"

The intern nodded. "Dead serious. Maybe now he'll calm down with you back. Anyway, welcome back, Sam!" The intern released her hand and hurried off to the interns' den at the far corner of the floor. Sam looked across the floor to her desk and Tsubaki's doors a couple dozen feet beyond that and swallowed a lump in her throat. She had no idea she'd become such a major part of the organization. She wondered if she was mistaken to get into politics. Perhaps this is where her destiny lay?

She buried her worries for the time being and strode directly to her desk, hoping the secretary wouldn't notice her if she just acted natural. Too late, she spotted her.

"Sam, Dr. Tsubaki wants a word with you."

Sam stopped and sighed. "Okay, I'm coming."

The secretary buzzed her in and Sam entered the office to find Tsubaki sitting behind his desk like he always was. He smiled as she entered and put down a letter he'd been writing.

"Ah, Samantha! Good to have you back. I trust you're rested from your ordeal?"

Sam nodded. "Yes sir. I'm sorry I was gone for so long, but-"

"Don't worry about it. You were witness to the world's greatest nightmare, and I can only sympathize with you. I would be badly shaken myself were I in your shoes."

Sam smiled outwardly, but inwardly she frowned. He only knew about the bomb. There was no way he'd know about Jacob.

"So what about the project?"

"We're going over the data we've collected thus far, but it looks like all bets are off until this thing cools down, if it ever does."

Sam blew a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I was afraid all that work went to waste."

"Rest assured, you did very well."

"Thanks. So what's lined up for me now?"  
"I'm glad you asked." Tsubaki pressed a button and three interns entered with large stacks of folders. They silently approached Sam and unloaded their burdens into her arms. "These folders contain the details of your first real assignment. Study every last one of them, because this is going to be your department for what I hope is some time."

Sam staggered backwards under the weight of the folders and started fumbling with the stack as folders began sliding out of her arms.

"All this? You can't be serious!"

"Why not? It's my company and you have a lot to be responsible for. You should be honored. You even get your own office."

"But, but!"

"But what?"  
"They kept telling me I was your favorite!" Sam lunged forward as the stack began teetering dangerously.

"Favorite? Sam, don't you know? The only reason someone chooses a favorite is because a lot is expected of them, and likewise you're my favorite because you have done a lot already and I expect a lot more of you in the days to come."

"Can't I at least get a little help with these?" she pleaded as she sidestepped to keep up with the stack.

"I wish I could help you, but I am terribly busy at the moment. Now get to work, because your first assignment starts in three days."

"Three days!"

"Yes. Run along now, Sam. I'm not paying you to stare at me like a Codfish."

Sam closed her mouth and felt her face become warm as she hurried out of the office with the towering stack in her arms. She carefully balanced the stack as the double doors shut behind her. Her coworkers turned to look at her and most of them visibly grimaced at her massive load, and then quickly turned their attentions to their own workloads. Sam sighed and balanced the folders as best she could and hung a left along the wall to her new office. She walked past several offices until she found one with no lights on and her name on the plaque. She smiled at the thought of having an office of her very own, but frowned at the amount of work she was in for. She stepped through the open door and plopped the folders on the desk before flipping the lights on. A box with her personal effects from her old desk already sat on the office desk, and she noticed a small stack of stationery beside the writing pad. She walked around the desk and sat down in the chair to get a feel for having her own office. Even though it was tiny, it was still hers. She sighed and leaned back in the chair to relax for a moment before diving into the folders before her. The events in Korea seemed like a passing dream.

* * *

It was a rainy evening when Sam got off work. While she had her car in the company parking lot, Alex was forced to take the bus since Mark had taken the car to the shop. She huddled under the meager shelter the bus stop provided and sulked. Though it wasn't necessarily cold outside, the rain cooled everything off and bathed Alex in a chilling mist, causing her to shiver and look forward to a nice long soak in a hot bath, with bath oils of course. She leaned forward and looked both ways down the road, but saw no sign of the bus. The rain increased intensity and Alex huddled farther back into the bus stop as the rain started soaking her sneakers. The rain came down in torrents, splashing off the concrete and spilling down the storm drains. Steam rose from the warm road and slowly curled into the air before vanishing in the downpour. Alex again looked down the road, but the rain obscured the ends of the road from view, only allowing headlights to shine through the watery curtain. Gray shapes followed the headlights and became all manner of cars as they drove by the bus stop. But still, the bus did not appear.

Alex leaned back on the bench and sighed. She was beginning to think she made a mistake by trusting public transportation. She finally decided that it was not worth waiting for a bus in this kind of weather and reached for her cell phone to call a taxi when a familiar-looking BMW halted in front of the bus stop. She paused with her finger hovering over the next digit and the passenger window rolled down to reveal Clover's face and Sam in the driver's seat.

"Hey Alex!" Clover called over the rain.

Alex stood up. "Clover! Sam! What are you two doing?"

"Sam offered to give me a lift home. You waiting on someone?"

Alex closed the cell phone and put it away. "No, not really. Mind if you give me a lift, Sammie?"

Clover relayed the message to Sam, who nodded and smiled. Clover turned back to Alex.

"Sure! Climb in!"

"O-okay!"

Alex bounced on her toes and looked around. The rain was still coming down hard with no sign of letting up any time soon. She took a breath and dashed toward the car as Clover opened the door and leaned her seat forward so Alex could dive in the back. Alex was soaked with her first step out of the bus stop. Rainwater splashed around her feet as she ran to the car and her shoes and socks were completely soaked. She made it to the car in three strides and dove into the back seat with all the grace of an Olympic diver and Clover slammed the door shut behind her.

Alex straightened herself out in the back seat and started shivering.

"S-so wh-what b-b-brings y-you t-two out here?"

Sam drove down the street and made a left turn. "I had to go this way to take Clover home, and we just happened to find you sitting there in the rain."

"Oh, c-c-cool."

"You need some coffee or something? You must be cold."

"N-n-n-n-n-yes, please!"

Sam giggled. "Okay, let's stop for something warm. I know a little place that…hold on."

Sam slowed the car to a halt and Clover swore under her breath.

"What is it?" asked Alex.

Sam huffed. "Traffic accident. They're diverting everyone down the road."

Clover looked down the road the police officer was diverting traffic down. "Great, they're detouring us through downtown. Guess that'll add another 30 minutes to this trip."

Alex shivered and sneezed.

"Bless you!" chimed Sam and Clover.

Alex sniffed. "Thanks."

* * *

David and Ramirez sat in the back of an FBI sedan and stared at the building across the street.

"Are you sure this is the place?" asked David.

Ramirez nodded. "Yes sir. I chose the location myself."

David scrutinized Ramirez and then turned his attention on the building. It was a medium-sized office building, erected in the 80's and built in a neo-classical style with a touch of Art Deco. The large plaque above the front doors read "Department of Motor Vehicles."

"Ramirez, this is the DMV. There's no way they're hiding anything here."

Ramirez laughed. "It's the perfect place. Who would think to look for a weapons cache in the DMV?"

"But I don't see how. Did you bribe anyone?"

"Nobody in the department, but let me tell you what, sneaking those crates in there was damn tricky business."

"I see. So you're holding them for a buyer?"

"Yeah. He's supposed to pick them up next year when the DMV moves into its new offices. With all the commotion the move will create, nobody will notice a few crates getting loaded into a Ryder truck."

David nodded. "Very clever. So what's the buyer going to do when he can't collect on his investment?"

Ramirez shrugged. "Nothing. He hasn't paid a dime, so he won't lose anything but time."

"Time? Time for what?"

"Can't say."

David sighed. He checked his watch and zipped up his rain slicker. "Well, no time like the present. Let's go." He touched the driver's shoulder as he reached for the door handle. "You wait here in case there's any trouble." He and Ramirez stepped out into the torrential rain and crossed the street to the DMV building.

* * *

The girls were making good time through downtown when another police officer stopped Sam's car.

"What gives?" She rolled down the window a little and the officer approached. "Excuse me sir, what's going on here?"

"The FBI is running an investigation, and they've requested that this street be closed off. I'm sorry miss, but you'll have to go around."

Sam sighed. "I will. Thank you, officer."

The police officer waved to her as he stood back and Sam rolled the window up. She made a right turn and started looking for a way around the blocked road. Clover crossed her arms and sighed.

"An investigation in this kind of weather? What are they, nuts? We all know you can't get anything done right in rain like this."

"This is the FBI we're talking about, not WOOHP" said Sam.

"Exactly, which is why they take so long to get anything done."

Sam giggled and Alex sneezed again.

"Guys? Can we please get some coffee or something? I'm freezing!"

Sam looked back and saw that Alex was shaking badly. Her clothes were soaking wet and hanging off her frame, and water dripped from her hair. "Okay, we'll stop and get something." Sam spotted a small coffee shop opposite the rear of the DMV building and parallel parked in front of it. The girls jumped out of the car and sprinted to the covered entrance to get out of the rain. Sam and Clover shook themselves dry, but Alex was still soaked and still shivering.

Sam took her arm and opened the door. "Come on, let's get you something hot."

"K-k-kay," said Alex as Sam led her in.

The rich aroma of brewing coffee greeted their noses as the clerk greeted them.

"Evening, ladies. You look a little wet, there."

Alex smiled though her teeth chattered. "Yeah, k-kinda. I need something hot."

The clerk put down his rag and stood at the counter. "We've got lots of that. What'll you have?"

Alex glanced over the menu. "Hot chocolate, please."

"Coming right up. What about you two?"

Sam made her mind up quickly. "I'll have a medium roast latte with whipped cream and nutmeg."

Clover took a moment longer to decide. "I'd like a double-shot cappuccino latte with vanilla, please!"

The clerk scribbled down their orders and Sam paid for the drinks. "Okay, I'll have them out in a minute." He turned around and went to work on their drinks. The girls sat at a booth away from a vent so as not to freeze Alex out. She was still soaked, but at least she had stopped shivering.

"Still cold?" asked Clover.

"Yeah, but it's not so bad anymore. Just need my cocoa."

Sam looked out the window to the gray, dim shapes outlined in the rain outside. She could just make out the back of the DMV building across the street, and even her car was a white blur behind the rainy curtain. The clouds hung dark and oppressive just above the city. She wiped away a drop of water that began running down her cheek and ran her fingers through her hair. It was damp and a little stringy, so she brushed it out as best she could without a hairbrush.

"Order up!" called the clerk.

Alex started to get up, but Clover placed a hand on her shoulder and stayed her. "You stay here, I'll get the drink."

"Thanks, Clover."

Clover retrieved the drinks and the girls took long draughts of the piping hot drinks. Alex felt her body warm up as she consumed her chocolaty beverage and chase her chills away.

"Ahh, much better. Man, what a rotten day this turned out to be."

"I think the rain's letting up," said Sam.

Alex looked out the window and sure enough, the rain was thinning out. Within moments it slowed to a drizzle, though the clouds still loomed overhead. Alex hung her head and hit the table in aggravation.

"You know, I just knew that would happen."

Clover laughed and squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry Alex, we can't win 'em all, right?"

Alex took another sip of cocoa. "The very least God could do is wait for me to get home before opening the floodgates."

Sam giggled. "Well, since the rain's let up, do you want to go home?"

Alex stared into her cup, and then looked outside and sighed. "Yeah, might as well. I'll catch cold if I stay in these wet clothes too long."

The girls left the coffee shop and walked to Sam's car as the rain completely stopped. The clouds hung low and dark over the city, while everything dripped from the downpour.

"I hope I'm not messing up your car, Sammie," said Alex as Sam dug her keys out of her purse.

"Nah, it's all vinyl. You won't hurt it."

Clover stopped and craned her neck. She looked down the street away from the DMV and furrowed her brow.

"You guys hear something?"

Sam and Alex stopped. "What?"

"Listen, I think…" the sound of police sirens and roaring engines emanated from down the street. Moments later a black sedan tore around a corner, pursued by a pair of police cars. The sedan roared down the narrow street at breakneck speed, barely avoiding Sam's car and tearing across the road with the police cruisers hot on its tail. The sedan crossed the road and bounced onto the sidewalk, heading right for the rear entrance to the DMV. Only then did the driver hit the brakes, but it was already too late. The tires squealed as the car slid across the wet concrete and slammed into the back of the building just to the right of a service entrance. Steam billowed from under the crumpled hood as the girls stared in awe at the scene and the police cruisers slowed to a halt thirty feet from the wrecked sedan.

"What was that all about?" exclaimed Sam.

"I don't know," said Clover. "Let's go check it out!"

She started to run to the accident, but Sam grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

"Clover! This is a police matter. We have nothing to do with this!"

Clover looked across the street. The officers were examining the car. "Well, they've already spotted us, so they're going to question us anyway. Might as well save them a trip across the street."

"Yeah but, we're not spies anymore. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then we should just walk away and wait for the news to tell us what happened."

Alex had been staring at the scene the whole time. "Don't you think we should at least see if the driver's okay?"

Sam opened her mouth to disagree, and then shut it as she relented. Alex had a bad enough day already. She might as well humor the girl a little. "Alright, we'll go see if he's okay and answer any questions the police might have."

They crossed the street to the rising wail of police sirens and the cheerless march of the clouds. They approached the accident scene and found the police officers talking to each other with confused expressions on their faces. Sam approached the older one and cleared her throat.

"Officer, what happened?"

The middle-aged officer shook his head. "I'm not sure, Miss."

Sam tilted her head to one side. "Not sure? What about the driver?"

"What driver? We can't find him or any sign of him."

The girls looked at each other with puzzled expressions. "What do you mean?"

"Look at the car. There's no way anyone could have walked away from that without injury."

The girls looked at the car. The impact had crumpled it like an accordion, and engine parts and glass shards were scattered everywhere.

"We can't find anything. A collision like this would have at least injured the driver, but we can't find him."

"What does this mean?"

"I don't know, but you'd better move along, ladies."

The girls walked out of earshot and Clover called them into a huddle. "You know, this feels awfully familiar." A mischievous smile was starting to spread across her face.

"I know, just like old times," said Alex as Clover's smile spread to her face.

Sam looked at them incredulously. "You two can't be serious! We're not spies anymore! We can't possibly investigate!"

"Come on, Sammie. We'll just have a look around. We won't get into trouble if we don't mess around with anything."

Sam looked at her two best friends. She could tell they were intent on going in. "Okay, fine. If you two want to get arrested, that's fine with me. But don't be surprised if I have to bail your butts out of jail!"

Sam broke the huddle and spun around.

Alex waved goodbye. "Okay, Sammie! We'll see you tomorrow!" Alex and Clover turned and headed for the DMV building. Sam walked to the curb and stopped. She could see her car across the street, a little white safe haven from the insane world she inhabited. Since when were Alex and Clover part of that insanity? Weren't they above all that? She stood still and stared at her car for a moment. She crossed her arms and huffed, determined not to do the thing she was thinking about doing. She started tapping her foot and growled through her teeth, fighting the urge with every fiber of her being. But the fight was futile. She stamped her foot and heaved a sigh as she clenched her fists.

"Goddammit," she swore under her breath as she spun around and ran after her friends.

* * *

David and Ramirez stepped off the elevator at the 12th floor. The offices were closed, but the hallway the doors opened to was brightly lit. Ramirez led David past the many doors lining the hall to a heavy steel door at the end of the hallway.

"So this is the place?"

Ramirez nodded. "Yes sir. It's all in there."

"On behalf of the FBI, I thank you for your cooperation. You do realize that you still have to stand trial, right?"

"Yes sir, I understand. You will protect me, right?"

"We'll offer you the full services of the Witness Protection Program, and the judge will award you a lighter sentence as a reward for your cooperation."

"Thanks. You have no idea what I've gotten myself into."

"We'll see. Just show me the weapons cache and I'll take care of the rest."

Ramirez dug a key from his pocket as they approached the door.

"Well, here goes."

He unlocked the door and pulled it open. David stepped inside and gawked at what he saw. The entire room was piled high with crates of all shapes and sizes and lined from one end to the other with heavily laden shelves. The crates were labeled in seven different languages and the shelves were mostly in English or Spanish. David stepped back to examine the layout and realized that this was the only room on the entire floor. The hallway was actually just a façade.

"What's in these?" he asked as he strolled down the first row of crates.

Ramirez scratched his head. "I don't remember exactly." He slapped a medium-sized crate covered with German writing. "I think these are submachine guns, but I can't be sure. I put these here about two years ago."

"Two years ago? Your buyer must be planning a freaking coup d'etat."

"Maybe so. All I know is he paid real good for it."

David paused to examine a large crate with English labels that identified the contents as Kevlar vests. Ramirez strolled ahead with his hands behind him as though he were taking a walk through his favorite playground from childhood. He paused in the shadow of a stack of crates and sighed.

"Yes sir, the buyer paid a pretty penny for all this. Though storing it here was my idea." He turned around to face David. "You know, you-" David heard the sound of something hitting Ramirez in the chest accompanied by a metallic clack. He looked up in alarm and saw Ramirez fall backwards and slump against a crate with a bullet in his chest. He looked up in shock at something around the corner and his body lurched as three more bullets penetrated his chest and he fell down dead. David sat still in shock for a moment before regaining his wits and drawing his gun. He flicked the safety off and backed against the stack of crates opposite Ramirez's body. He pointed the gun at the ceiling and held it close as he tried to control his breathing and listen. He heard what sounded like someone checking their weapon and a disappointed sigh.

"Honestly," said a man with a German accent. "I am a spy und a thief, not some filthy assassin. I am not cut out for zis verk."

David took a deep breath and quickly stepped around the corner with his gun ready.

"Freeze! FBI!"

He found himself aiming at an older man dressed entirely in black. The man's slicked-back hair was also black, though streaks of gray belied his age. His facial features were sharp and focused, concentrated around his beaklike nose and dark eyes. He looked at David with a hint of confusion that quickly transformed into a confident smirk.

"Vat's this? Who are you?"

"Shut up, drop your weapon, and put your hands in the air!"

"Vhy?"

"You are under arrest for the murder of a major suspect in an FBI investigation. Now drop it!" David slowly approached the murderer.

The man in black snorted. "FBI? You government dogs are no match for ze likes of me, especially not a rookie like yourself."

"Shut up!"  
A malicious smile cracked his thin lips. "You zink you can arrest me? Do you hav any idea who you're dealing vith?"

Suddenly, David recognized him. He was the same man from the picture Britney showed him, only a little older. He steeled himself and tightened his grip on the gun. "Yes, I'm dealing with a murderer, and you just said you're a spy and a thief. I think I have plenty reason to bring you in."

The man laughed. "You really don't have a clue! I suppose it's better it stay zat vay. What you are dealing vith is far beyond your power."

"Drop. The. Gun."

The man in black scowled. "Obviously you have to learn all you lessons ze hard vay." He raised his hands and stepped back into the shadow of a looming stack of crates.

"Good!" said David. "Just cooperate and we can do this the easy way."

"I have no intention of cooperating."

David blinked and the man in black vanished. "What the hell?"

"You are outside your bounds, agent!" boomed the man's voice from above. David turned around and aimed his gun at the top of the crates, but he was nowhere to be seen. His radio crackled and another agent's voice came over the radio.

"David! Get out of there! A black sedan just crashed into the back of the building, and we can't find the driver!"

David pressed his earpiece into his ear. "What? What does that have to do with-"

"We found ammo under the front seat. I think an assassin is here to silence Ramirez!"

David's face went white as a sheet. "Oh shit. Carl, we're too late."

"What?"

"Ramirez is dead. The assassin's in the cache with me."

"David, get out of there! We've called for the SWAT team. They'll be here any minute!"

David's gun abruptly exploded out of his hands and clattered across the floor.

"David! What was that?"

David's hands were numb from the shock and he tried to rub the feeling back into them. "The assassin. He just shot my gun out of my hand. I…I can't see him."

"I'd take your friend's advice, agent," said the man in black from somewhere behind David. "You are out of your league. Go home to your wife and child. You vill be safe zere."

David looked around and backed into a crate. He began hyperventilating and sweat ran down his face.

"Go home, David. Zis is none of your concern."

"David!" shouted a woman's voice. David looked toward the entrance and saw Sam, Alex, and Clover running to him.

"What…what are you three doing here?"

Sam knelt beside David. "Meddling. Are you okay?"

David grabbed Sam's arm. "Get out of here! There's an assassin in here somewhere!"

The man in black's voice laughed. "You have nossing to vorry about, David. I was specifically ordered not to harm you."

Alex whispered into Sam's ear and pointed to the right. "He's over there."

Clover knelt beside Sam. "What do we do?"

"We should get out of here."

"And let this cretin escape?"  
Sam looked at Clover angrily and pulled her aside. "We're not WOOHP agents anymore, got it?" she hissed at Clover. "We can't do a thing except run."

Clover yanked her arm out of Sam's grasp. "Just because we don't have the title doesn't mean we don't have the ability."

"What?"

"Sam, I can't sit here and do nothing. We have a responsibility to help our friend and to do the right thing."

"And what is the right thing?"

"Taking this guy down."

"Clover," Sam stared hard at her, "Why did you even quit?"

"Because I wanted to go wherever you guys went." She stood up. "I'm going to stop this guy. If you don't want to come with me, I won't hold it against you. Alex?"

Alex looked at David, who was still pale and shaking. "When given the opportunity, one should always do what is right." She looked at Clover confidently. "Let's go. Sam?"

Sam clenched her fist so tight she felt her nails digging into her skin. "I…I can't let you guys go in alone." She stood up. "I'll do it."

David shook his head. "No! You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Alex looked down at him. "Believe it or not, we can take him, David. We're a lot stronger than you think."

David looked at then in bewilderment. He had no idea what she meant, but somehow they had changed in the last five minutes. They towered over him like Greek heroines, looking utterly invincible. He shook his head and sighed. "Listen, he's using some kind of freaky camouflage. He vanished right in front of me, so be careful."

Sam nodded and took her jacket off. "Let's go girls."

They left David where he sat and ran down an aisle until the man in black stepped out in front of them. The girls halted and assumed their fighting stances. Clover and Alex's forms looked far cleaner and more natural than Sam's, and she cursed herself for not maintaining her own fighting skills.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

The man in black looked at them with a smile. "So, you're here. I didn't expect you to come, but ze boss told me to keep an eye out for you."

"Answer the question, creep! What's your name?"

"My name? Oh, dear child, my name iz of no importance to me anymore. Not my birth name anyway." The man in black took a deep breath and his smile faded into a scowl. "You may call me Spectre. I am known as ze Shadow Wolf."

Sam started. "Shadow Wolf?" Her mind reeled with speculation as she recalled one other person addressing himself as "wolf."

"You wouldn't happen to know Jacob Ravask, would you?"

Spectre's eyes lit up with surprise. "Jacob? You mean Fenrir?"

Sam nodded. "That's the one."

"Hmm. Yes, I know Fenrir. He iz my boss, after all. It vas he who gave me zis assignment."

"Your boss? You take orders from him?"

"Yes, and it is my greatest honor to verk for one such as him. But you should feel lucky right now, ladies. He told me not to harm any of you."

Clover shifted her stance. "Buddy, I don't care who you work for. You're going downtown."

The girls blinked. They weren't quite sure, but it seemed that the shadows were growing darker.

Spectre laughed. "You cannot defeat me. Not in your present conditions. I am far greater zan any foe you have yet faced, and I am not even ze strongest of ze Wolfpack."

The girls blinked simultaneously. "Wolfpack?"

"Oops! Did I let zat slip? I'm sorry, but I can't say any more."

"Well whoever you are," said Alex, "we're taking you down."

Spectre smiled. "Honestly, I'd like to see you try, my dear."

Alex sprinted forward and leaped at Spectre with a flying kick. Spectre simply smiled and hopped back into the shadow and vanished. Alex flew through the air where Spectre was standing and landed gracefully.

"Where did he go?" she exclaimed.

Sam and Clover looked around and realized the shadows in the room had indeed become impenetrably black, while the areas with light had brightened considerably. Clover looked behind her and screamed as Spectre rose from a shadow that lay across the floor wearing a huge grin on his face.

"Yes, Clover. Zis is my talent. I am not known as ze Shadow Wolf for no reason. Vhat you see is no mere illusion."

"I'll decide that for myself!" shouted Sam as she dashed at the shadowy villain. Spectre laughed and dropped into the shadow as Sam swung at him, throwing her off-balance. She stumbled and felt something grab her ankle and she fell down. She looked down and screamed when she saw Spectre's gloved hand clutching her ankle and extending out of the shadow. Another hand reached out of the shadow and Spectre climbed out of the shadow like a swimming pool with Sam's ankle firmly in his grasp and tossed her at Clover's feet.

"I can move through shadows as easily as I move through ze air. The shadows are my pathway to victory. They are but a door to me, and an illusion to my enemies."

"How are you doing that?" said Sam.

"That is my secret to keep, my dear Samantha. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be going." He turned around just as Alex jumped off the shelves and landed in front of him.

"Hello," she said with a grin.

Alex planted her foot in Spectre's chest and launched him at Sam and Clover. Clover jumped and struck him across the face with a roundhouse kick and spun him around. Sam followed her up with a spinning kick to the face that tossed him against a shelf. The impact jolted the shelf's contents and spilled dozens and dozens of gun parts all over Spectre. After the commotion died down, the shadowy villain rubbed his head and moaned.

The girls surrounded him and crossed their arms.

"So much for being out of our league," said Sam.

"We took you down just like any other bad guy," said Alex.

"Now come along quietly or we'll kick your butt again," said Clover.

Spectre laughed. "You know what mistake you've made, spies?"

"What?"

"You didn't pay attention to your surroundings!" Only then did the girls realize Spectre was sitting in the middle of a shadow, and he vanished with a laugh. "I have enjoyed our little rendezvous, but I have much more important verk to do. Until we meet again, spies!"

"He's making a run for it!" Sam exclaimed. "After him!"

The girls ran down the main aisle that divided the room and sprinted to the exit. Spectre was jumping from one shadow to the next, seeming to walk right through the rows of shelves and crates.

"Do you feel it?" he taunted. "I saw it in your eyes. That spark of determination. That flame of courage. It still burns within you!"

Spectre dashed across the aisle and vanished into another shadow. Alex ran ahead of them and tried to call his next move.

"It is still there; the will to fight. It has not left any of you. You all wish to fight for justice once more!"

Spectre appeared atop a crate. "Deep down inside you all want to return to WOOHP and fight injustice once again. But the society you have so willingly surrendered to holds you back." He stepped back into a shadow and vanished. "Now that you know something threatens the peace again, you want to go back! You ask yourselves if it's too late, and I can assure you it's not! Fulfill your true calling and fight! The world is in peril, and you know what must be done!"

Sam stopped and screamed at the top of her lungs. "WHO ARE YOU?"

"I am part of a whole! I am an agent of change! I am a legend born of the world's nightmares! I am a messenger of he who is destined to wreak great and terrible things upon this world! I am the Shadow Wolf!"

The girls stopped at the cache entrance and blocked the door. If he were to escape, it would be through them. The hallway behind them was brightly lit and offered no shadows Spectre could escape through. They knew he was trapped.

"Give it up!" said Clover. "You can't escape."

Spectre materialized atop a shelf. "Don't be too sure, my dear."

The lights in the hallway and the storage room flicked off with an ominous boom, followed by Spectre's laughter.

"We'll meet again. And next time, I won't hold back." He sank into the shelf, leaving the girls in an eerie silence.

"What just happened?" asked Alex. "Why did the lights go off?"

Sam's mind worked furiously, and then it clicked. "They cut the power. It means the SWAT team's on it's way!"

As if on cue, several flashlights illuminated the hallway and blinded the girls. A man's voice called out, "You! On the floor with your hands on your heads!"

Alex and Clover looked to Sam, who nodded and lay on the floor. Alex and Clover followed suit, and moments later the SWAT team cuffed their hands behind their backs.

"Sammie, what now?" asked Alex.

"Don't worry, Alex. Everything will be fine."

In her mind, Sam asked for the confidence to believe that.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

Jacob walked down a long hallway beside a demure young woman with long black hair and glasses. The hallway was part of a modern facility, composed of steel and plastic for the walls and ceiling and polished tiles on the floor. He carried a sack over one shoulder, and the woman carried a book in her arms.

"Once again, I have to thank you for all your help, Tatiana."

Tatiana giggled. "Fenrir, I'm just as much a member of the Wolfpack as anyone."

"I know that, but I prefer calling you by your birth name. Just in private, of course."

Tatiana sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're just like the others, treating me like your little sister."

"I don't have a sister, so I wouldn't know about that."

Tatiana grabbed Jacob's shoulder and stopped him. "Jacob…I mean Fenrir, I am the Ghost Wolf. I swore fealty to you and our mission just like the all others. Stop treating me like a kid and start treating me as one of your wolves."

Jacob looked into her eyes and nodded. "As you wish, but at least let me call you by your birth name."

Tatiana flatstared him and sighed. "Fine, fine. If you want to call me Tatiana so badly, go ahead. But no more of this "little sister" business, okay?"

Jacob nodded and started down the hallway again. "As you wish. You are a wolf and I will treat you thusly."

Tatiana caught up with him. Jacob walked quickly, and Tatiana was no athlete. Her pale skin told of countless hours spent poring over volumes of books and documents and computer files, and she wore a sweater to keep off the cold of the library and the chill air of the building they were passing through.

"Always so poetic," she mused. "Tell me, do you rehearse everything you say, or is this just natural genius?"

Jacob put his hands in his pockets and looked down at her quizzically. "Why do you say that? Is that unusual?"

"Yes! You're a natural-born killer, Fenrir. People like you don't have much use for floral speeches."

"What do you mean people like me?"

"You're not a speaker, you know. You're supposed to fight wars, not give speeches."

The hallway ended at a blank wall. Jacob stared up the wall and spoke to Tatiana. "I was raised to lead this pack and fulfill its mission. The Fenrir should be wise in the ways of the tongue as well as the ways of the gun."

"Again with the poetry. You'll make the best Fenrir ever at this rate."

"Maybe, but first I need a pack to lead." He gestured to the wall. "If you don't mind."

Tatiana smiled. "Gladly."

She approached the wall and extended her right hand. An amber-colored light surrounded her hand and spread laterally, taking the shape of a holographic console. She pressed a few buttons on the amber-colored display and lowered her hand. The hologram dissolved and Tatiana flipped her long hair back.

"By the way," said Jacob, "I really must thank you for breaking into the FBI database so skillfully. No trace of your presence was left, I assume?"

Tatiana grinned bashfully.

Jacob crossed his arms. "Tatiana? What have you done?"

She clapped her hands together in a gesture of supplication. "I'm sorry Fenrir! It's just something us hackers do! We always leave a little something in the system to let them know we were there."

"I hope for our sakes they can't trace it."

Tatiana smiled confidently. "If they get even remotely close to us, I'll bring the whole world crashing down around their ears.'

A seam appeared in the wall before them. "I expect no less from you."

The seam widened into a gap, and the gap widened further as the two halves of the wall slid noiselessly away from each other. The door revealed a gigantic room behind it, dark except for a small island of light where an old man sat at a desk, hunched over a drawing pad and scribbling like mad. Jacob and Tatiana approached the old man from behind. Tatiana's heels clicked loudly on the concrete floor, but the old man was totally absorbed in his work and didn't notice their entry.

Suddenly he crumpled a sheet of paper up and tossed it in a trash bin beside the desk.

"No, no, no," he muttered as he began sketching again. "It must look alive. It must look like it will leap out of the child's hands on its own! Yes, that's it. How now, brown cow?"

Tatiana stepped up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder as she whispered into his ear. "Toymaker, you have a visitor."

"Tell him I'm busy. I'll be done in about an hour or so."

"But it's a very special visitor," she cooed. "This one can't wait for the world."

Toymaker stopped drawing and set his pencil down. "For the world, eh?"

He swiveled around in his chair and gasped when he saw Jacob. "It can't be! You've returned!"

Jacob smiled. "Hello, Toymaker. It's been awhile, old man."

Toymaker grabbed his walking cane and stood up uneasily. Tatiana stood just behind him, ready to catch him should he fall.

"Come here, boy. Let me have a look at you."

While the old man studied him, Jacob took the time to study the old man. Toymaker had changed a lot since they last met. The old man's head was almost completely bald. His bushy eyebrows shadowed his brilliant blue eyes, and his short beard masked his face for the most part, except when he smiled. Jacob noticed that he still had all of his teeth. Toymaker always prided himself on his dental hygiene.

"So it is you," he said at length. "You've come back to us."

Jacob nodded. "I have. I also have a present for you." Jacob slung the bag off his shoulder and withdrew a rectangular box and laid it carefully on the desk. He removed the lid and a layer of foam insulation to reveal an intricately detailed train engine. The brass pipes glittered under the bright desk lamp, and the polished metal body returned a faint blue reflection. The old man's eyes widened and lit up with recognition.

"My finest work. You kept it?"

Jacob nodded. "The one thing I took with me when I ran away. I've hung on to it to this day, and now I return it to you for all the kindness you've shown me, Alistair."

Toymaker shook his head. "Alistair disappeared a long time ago. The only thing left of him is the toy designer. Toymaker is who I am now."

"Then you might like to hear this." He placed a hand on Toymaker's shoulder and looked into the old man's eyes. "I'm putting the Wolfpack back together."

Toymaker gasped. "No. Your uncle's old unit? It can't be!"

"It is. The time has come for the pack to fight again."

"Who else is on board?"

"Of the old members, only Spectre, Wild Bill, and Mariner. I'm not even sure where Mariner is. The others are dead."

"I know that. Who else?"

"Aside from Arachne here, we've got some promising new recruits."

"But you're not even officially the Fenrir yet. You may have taken the title from your uncle, but your family has not recognized you just yet."

Jacob snickered. "There is no one else left in this family fit to lead. My succession is guaranteed."

Toymaker scrutinized him and grinned. "Then it's true?"

"Yes."

Toymaker smiled and let go of Jacob. He turned around and walked briskly around his desk. His cane echoed in the cavernous chamber and his voice grew strong as he walked toward the darkness.

"Yes, finally!" he mused. "Now I can make real toys, not these silly trinkets they call toys."

As he walked past his desk, the ceiling lights lit up row by row. The enormous underground room was illuminated, and Jacob saw it was filled with machines of all shapes and sizes, their apparent purposes many and deadly judging by the visible weapons on most of them. Some loomed high into the air, while others were as small as a child. The majority of them were the size of a car or tank. All of them gleamed with polished metal surfaces under the bright lights.

"Now these are worthy of the title Machine Wolf!"

Jacob looked at the machines that filled the underground hangar in amazement.

"Man, you've been busy."

* * *

"Honestly, what on Earth were you three thinking?"

Henry stood on the other side of the table with his arms crossed, and a very cross expression on his face. On the other side of the table, the girls sat with their eyes lowered and their hands cuffed. They felt absolutely humiliated. Sam was angry with Alex and Clover for recklessly charging into such a dangerous situation, but she was mostly angry with herself for allowing them to talk her into doing it, and not trying harder to talk them out of it. Why did she go along with them? Was what Spectre said true? Deep down inside, did she really want to go back to WOOHP?

"We're sorry," said Alex.

"I'm sure you are," said Henry. "You trespassed on government property, interfered with a Federal investigation, and last but not least put your lives in danger when all you had to do was walk away."

"He would have killed David!" Clover protested.

"I hate to say it, but that was his problem. You all willingly resigned, thus giving up all rights and privileges as spies. This little stunt you pulled is beyond irresponsible."

"We only wanted to do what was right," said Alex with her head bowed.

"It may have been the right thing to do, but it was not your place to do it."

"We were able and willing to do it, why shouldn't we?"

"Because, my dear Alex, some people are granted the authority to do these kinds of things on the grounds that they have the training and wisdom to do so. You are not one of these people. Not anymore."

Alex clenched her fists. "We could be."

"What was that?"

"I said we could be. We could still be the spies we once were."

Sam stared at Alex in a daze. She had just boldly declared that she was willing to go back. Henry stared at Alex closely. He sat down across from them and leaned on the table.

"Listen, do you know why you're all coming out of this with a spotless record?"

The girls looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

"Jerry. He heard about what happened and pulled a lot of strings to get you three out of trouble. You three owe him big-time."

Sam blanched. Now she was in Jerry's debt. How could she possibly repay him? Certainly not as a spy, or could she? Could she or any of them go back to WOOHP?

"At any rate," Henry continued, "the FBI says you're free to go. But first, I need to know what you saw in there."

Sam looked at him quizzically. "Why us? Didn't David give a report?"

"I'm afraid David will need some time off before he can do that. Every time he tries to give his report, he gets to the point when Ramirez dies and has a nervous breakdown, babbling about some shadow man or some such. Any idea what he was talking about?" Henry pressed his fingertips together and looked at the girls expectantly.

There was a long silence. All three of them understood they were in extremely hot water. They'd gotten involved with something big, something WOOHP-scale without the authority to do so. They felt as if speaking would incriminate them for sure.

"You can speak up if you like," Henry comforted. "None of this is on record, and you're all walking away from this with a clean slate. Just tell me what you saw in there."

Sam slowly raised her head and took a deep breath, and then another. "We saw…we saw a man in there."

Henry nodded. "I deduced as much from David's account. Go on, what was his name?"

"He called himself Spectre."

"Spectre?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. He said his title was the Shadow Wolf."

At the mention of Spectre's title, a shadow passed over Henry's face and his eyes narrowed. "No, it can't be."

"What is it?" asked Alex.

"I'm not quite sure yet. Did he say anything else about himself?"

"He can walk through shadows," said Clover.

"So can I, but that's nothing to-"

"No, no, no. I meant he could walk _through_ them as if they were doors or something. He can walk into one shadow and appear in another one."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "He can, can he? Anything else?"

The girls looked at each other for a moment. They decided it was best he not know about all the things he said about them for the time being.

"Oh, I remember!" Alex spouted. "He said he was part of something called the Wolfpack."

Henry's face went pale at the sound of that name. "Impossible!" he exclaimed.

The girls flinched at his outburst. For a split second Henry appeared genuinely frightened. Theyrealized that Jacob, Spectre, and the Wolfpack were all connected to something very big and very scary.

"What does it mean?" asked Alex.

By then Henry had already regained his cool composure. "It means that I'm likely to be very busy in the near future." He stood up to leave. "I'll let you all go now. What you've just told me gives me a lot of information to go on." He walked to the door and paused. He turned around and spoke calmly to the girls. "Listen, I don't know why I'm doing this, but I'm reopening a WOOHP channel to your X-Powders. I have this feeling that we are heading for very interesting times." With that, he left the room and returned to the WOOHP headquarters.

A police officer entered the room after he left and removed the handcuffs.

"You're free to go. Have a nice day."

The girls stood up and filed silently out of the room. They didn't say a word until they were safely out of the police station, and then heaved a collective sigh of relief. They laughed nervously at one another at their uncanny luck. Getting arrested by the FBI and walking away scott-free isn't something that happens every day.

Alex's laughter suddenly stopped and let out a yelp. "Oh no! Mark! He's probably worried sick about me!"

Sam noticed the growing darkness just as the streetlights flickered on and checked her watch. "I think we'd all better get home quick."

Alex stamped the ground and pulled at her hair as she ranted. "Ohmygosh, he's going to kill me for this! Of all the lame-brain stunts I've ever pulled…why me why me why me? How am I ever going to talk my way out of this one? Oh, I'm too young for this! Why me why me why me?"

Sam and Clover stared wide-eyed at Alex's ranting while Sam dug her cell phone out of her purse. "I guess I'd better call Brad and let him know what happened."

Clover fished out her cell phone. "I'd better call Mandy and let her know I'm alive so she won't put in an ad for a roommate."

Alex continued pacing about and fretting. "Woe is me!"

Sam and Clover paused with their fingers over the call buttons and yelled at Alex. "Stop moaning and call your husband!"

Alex stopped and stood still for a moment while their words registered. She blushed as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the apartment. "Or I could do that."

They simultaneously made their calls and waited.

Mark picked up Alex's call first. "Hi sweetie! Yes, I'm fine. Um, can you wait until I get home to tell you? Okay, thanks. Well, it's kind of sensitive. Yeah. Not that kind of sensitive! Sheesh, focus, dummy! Okay, I'll be home soon. Love you too, bye."

Mandy answered next. "Mandy? Hi, I got in a bit of a jam downtown, but I'll be home soon. No I did not get arrested! And have you done anything productive today? Oh? Oh. I see. Mmh. Okay, then. Well I'm on my way back, so don't sell my rent or anything. Okay, see you."

Brad never answered his phone. Sam ended the call and put her phone away. "Huh, that's strange. Brad must have turned his cell phone off. He never turns his phone off."

"Maybe the battery died," Alex suggested.

"Maybe. Oh well, I'll just have to tell him later." She tossed her hair behind her and sighed. "What a day, eh girls?"

"No kidding," said Clover. "Just like old times, really."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember back when we were spies? How we'd be going about our business and dealing with the day's crisis and we'd suddenly get interrupted by Jerry and have to go solve the latest worldwide crisis? Except for getting arrested, today was a total nostalgia trip."

"Yeah, no kidding," said Alex. "The only thing missing was the last-second pickup from Jerry."

"Wouldn't Henry rescuing us from the FBI count toward something?"

"Technically," Sam corrected, "Jerry saved our butts again. Henry did say he pulled all the strings."

Alex stretched her back. "We so have to visit the old geezer sometime. Maybe after you're married, Sam?"

Sam tapped her chin. "Yeah, maybe. I'll talk to Brad about it next time I see him."

Clover sighed. "Your car is on the other side of town. How do we get home? Public transportation?"

"NO!" Sam and Alex exclaimed.

Sam made a fast recovery and placed one hand on her hip. "What I mean is, they towed my car here, so all I have to do is claim it. There's no need to take the bus."

Clover shrugged. "Fine with me. But let's just go straight home. I've had enough bad guys today."

Sam laughed. "Me too. Let's not do that ever again!"

"You said it, Sammie," said Alex as the three began walking to the impound lot. "Busting the bad guys was fun back then, but now I'm too old for it."

In their minds, the girls started making plans. Big plans.

* * *

Jacob and Tatiana stepped off an elevator and walked down a wide corridor toward a heavy steel door at the end. Jacob wore a scowl on his face as he marched resolutely toward the door.

"Jacob, you can't blow this off," Tatiana protested. "I know how you feel about Dr. Lacan, but you know as well as I do that he is the lynch pin of this entire operation."

"One more thing to dislike about him. I don't like plans that hinge upon a single person. It makes them far too vulnerable."

"That may be, but this man is responsible for giving you life! You at least owe him a little respect for that much."

Jacob stopped and glared at her. "You call this a life?"

Tatiana stared back. She could feel his eyes trying to bore into her mind and shatter her resolve, but she had been trained better than that. All Wolves were well versed in psychological warfare. "You are the leader of the greatest team of soldiers and legends the world has ever seen. We look up to you, Fenrir. Lead us to victory."

They locked wills for a moment, and then Jacob smiled proudly. "Your mother must be proud of you."

Tatiana smiled back. "That's what she tells me."

They continued down the corridor in higher spirits.

"Mariner's been spotted in Vietnam," Jacob began. "I'm leaving tomorrow to see if I can find him."

"Good. We'll need his expertise. I'm sure he'll answer the call. By the way, rumor has it that Nightmare resurfaced recently."

Jacob stopped and stared at her. "Nightmare? I thought he was dead?"

Tatiana shook her head. "Apparently you didn't completely finish him last time."

"I didn't have time to. That fire almost killed us both."

"I remember. He's said to have a new face now, so we won't recognize him."

"What about his voice?"

"No info on that."

"When did you find this out?"

"While you were talking to Toymaker. I did a little Net diving while you two were occupied."

Jacob rapped his knuckles on his head. "Where on earth did they put your wireless modem?"

Tatiana giggled and slapped his hand away. "If you must know, it's in my left leg."

They approached the door and Tatiana entered a combination on the keypad. It beeped twice and the LED turned green. The door slid open noiselessly and let them into the airlock.

"I forget, why did you want to come down here in the first place?" asked Tatiana as the door slid shut.

"I see potential in those three. I may ask them to join the Wolfpack if they prove themselves."

Tatiana clapped her hands. "Oh good! I always thought this team was too much of a boys' club."

"Har-har. Very funny. You should be honored to even know about our existence."

"Oh I am. But Ava's too much of a Tomboy."

The inner door slid open and let them into the laboratory. Two women and one older man worked diligently at their monitor stations. A huge machine occupied most of the room, and in the most prominent location stood a large glass sphere connected to the rest of the machines. Inside, a beautiful woman floated in a state of suspended animation.

The old man turned around at the sound of footsteps on the metal grating that covered the floor. A respirator mostly obscured his face, and his head was covered in thin white hair.

"Jacob,where is your respirator?"

"I'll be fine, Lacan. Just go ahead with the procedure."

Lacan's eyebrows narrowed and he nodded. "If you say so. Ladies, it's time to awaken your friend."

Alex and Clover turned around and looked at Jacob and Tatiana. Rather, Alex-Athena and Clover-Athena. The two clones were part of Dr. Lacan's brainchild. They looked identical to the original Alex and Clover, but the similarity was only skin-deep. Thanks to Lacan's tinkering with Macker the Safe Cracker's cloning project, they possessed strength and intelligence far beyond those of normal humans, especially the original Alex and Clover.

"Hello Jacob," said Alex. Unlike her wide-eyed progenitor, Alex-Athena's eyes were focused and her face lacked Alex's youthful vigor. Her face, though lovely, belied dark intent and a tortured psyche within. Others often commented that with her raw strength and beguiling charms combined with her potent pheromones, she was almost as dangerous as Jacob.

"Good morning Alex." Jacob approached the station. "How is she?"

"She's fine," said Clover. "We're finally ready to resuscitate her." Clover-Athena had changed little. Her eyes were as alert and penetrating as ever, and colored deep blue like the original Clover's eyes. Unlike Clover, she was calm and calculated, rarely acting on impulse. But between the three clones, she was the most sympathetic.

Alex shrugged and spread her arms. "It only took us ten years."

"Gotcha." Jacob looked into the glass sphere. Sam-Athena floated unconscious in the clear solution, curled in the fetal position with a regulator attached to her face. Her long auburn hair floated freely in the liquid, giving her the appearance of a sleeping mermaid. Like the original Sam, she was beautiful to behold, but this one had been asleep for ten years.

"It's time to wake sleeping beauty. Proceed."

Lacan and the girls took their stations and prepared to revive Sam.

"Will you need any help, Doctor?" asked Tatiana.

"Thank you for the offer, but no. We'll be fine. Let's begin."

"Yes Doctor," replied Alex and Clover.

Jacob and Tatiana stood back and watched.

"Initiating resuscitation procedure. Cutting solution circulation." An audible whirr in the machine ceased.

"Cutting nutrient feed," said Alex.

"Heart rate is nominal," said Clover. "Body temperature is stable. Brainwave activity at hibernation levels."

Lacan manipulated his control panel like a master pianist. "Initiating electric stimulation current." Faint blue electrical arcs leapt from the machine to the surface of the sphere. Sam's arm twitched.

"Fluid temperature is stable. Initiating agitation at level one." Bubbles began rising in the chamber and Sam began slowly turning in the fluid.

"Brainwave activity increasing. Delta sleep patterns detected. Sam is waking up, but slowly."

"Commencing second electrical stimulation." The machine zapped the chamber again, and Sam's legs and arms twitched.

"Oxygen feed is nominal. Agitation steady."

"Heart rate is increasing with brain activity. Heart rate at 60 bpm."

"Commencing third stimulation." A third and more powerful shock zapped the chamber and Sam's body twitched violently.

Clover's monitor alarm went off. "Heart rate increasing rapidly! Brainwave patterns are stable but not conscious. Damn it, she's starting to fibrillate!"

Alex frantically hammered at her controls. "Activating sonic defibrillator!"

An ear-piercing howl momentarily filled the room as the machine directed high-frequency sound waves at Sam's heart. When the howl ceased, Clover's monitor beeped rapidly at first, and then the intervals between beeps increased after a few seconds.

Clover and Alex heaved a sigh of relief. "Heart rate is back to normal. Brainwave activity rising rapidly. Doctor, she's waking up."

Alex wiped a tear from her eye. "Almost lost you, girl."

All three of them looked at the tank. Sam's eyes fluttered open and she began to stretch her limbs.

Lacan wiped the sweat from his forehead. "She's awake. Open the tank."

Alex pressed a single button and they stepped back. The machine opened up like a flower and slowly lowered the tank to the grated floor. A once-invisible seam appeared in the tank wall as the sphere split open vertically and the fluid poured out onto the floor grating and drained away. Sam followed the fluid out once the tank opened wide enough and she too spilled out onto the floor. The first thing she did was tear the mask off her face and inhale her first breath of free air in years. Alex and Clover ran to her side and tossed a blanket over her naked, shivering body. Sam shivered violently as she pulled the blanket around her shoulders and looked up at Alex and Clover.

"Sam? Do you know who we are?" asked Clover.

Sam's face was blank for a moment before it lit up with joy. "Alex? Clover?"

"Oh, Sam." The three girls tearfully embraced each other. Their decade-long separation was over.

Lacan approached them and knelt in front of Sam. "Sam? How do you feel?"

Sam took a deep breath and coughed. Her arms shook as she tried to stand up, but Alex and Clover placed their hands on her shoulders and made her stay down.

"Why…do I feel so weak?"

"You've been asleep for ten years. I tried my best, but I could not completely save your muscles from atrophy."

Sam looked up at him. "Ten years?" She looked at Alex and Clover. They looked older and more mature than she remembered them. "What…what about our sisters?"

Lacan's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, but were all recaptured."

Sam's countenance fell. "I knew it. It's hopeless." Tears rolled down her cheeks while Alex and Clover tried to comfort her.

Jacob took the opportunity to step out of the shadows and approached the clones. "It's not completely hopeless."

Sam stopped her tears and looked up. "What? Who are you?"

My name is Jacob, I am the leader of a team of warriors such as yourselves. I'd like to help you."

"Help us? How?"

"I answer to the same people who financed your Convent and provided all your equipment. I can help."

Sam sat up and pulled the blanket closer around her shoulders. "What can you do for us?"

"I am the leader of an organization called the Wolfpack. If you can prove yourselves worthy, I might ask you to join."

"We're ready," said Alex. "Tell us what to do."

"Not now." He looked at Sam. "First, you need to recover your full strength and catch up on world events in the last ten years." He looked at Alex and Clover. "In addition, Dr. Lacan here has work for you to do first."

"Give us time," said Clover. "We will prove ourselves. We have to save our sisters."

"Speaking of which," said Jacob, "I have a little present for you three." Jacob motioned to Tatiana, who looked at the airlock and opened it remotely. "I went through a lot of trouble and great expense to procure this, but I'm sure you'll appreciate it."

One of the Nemesis clones, a drastically mutated strain of Macker's clones whose fair forms were twisted into gruesome but immensely powerful creatures subservient to the Athena clones, stepped out of the airlock. The clones gasped as the powerful creature approached them and knelt before Sam. The Nemesis clone was clad in black armor with glowing yellow eye covers. It bore no weapons, but its menacing claws were weapons in and of themselves. She removed her helmet and leaned close to Sam. It had Sam's green eyes, indicating this was a Sam variant of the strain.

"How did you get her?" asked Alex.

"It's complicated," said Jacob. "But let's just say it involved a lot of bribes and pulling a lot of strings."

Sam reached forward with a trembling hand and lightly stroked the beast's jaw. The Nemesis clone closed her eyes and an appreciative moan escaped her throat. Sam's face suddenly contorted with rage and her body trembled.

"We'll make them pay. All of them will pay dearly for what they've done to us."

A wicked smile crossed Jacob's face.

"Excellent."


	15. Intermission

Dear Readers,

It seems that this elaborate pet project of mine has run into a snag. That snag being the fact that I'm flying to London, England tomorrow to study for the month of July! Unfortunately, I won't have regular access to a computer. In fact, I won't have one at all! This means that all progress on this story will be halted for the entire month of July. I intended to write several chapters ahead and upload them while I was overseas, but I never counted on meeting my girlfriend this summer. And let me tell you, maintaining one takes a lot of effort! (but it's totally worth it)

Be that as it may, I'm still dedicated to seeing this through. I'll resume work on the story as soon as I return in August. I assure you that I will finish this. I've been planning this too long to back out now, and I haven't introduced but half the cast! I will not let my last hurrah go out as a whimper.

So until then, I think I'll take a little time to respond to some of you! (Yes I do read your reactions, and I appreciate the feedback!)

**Jess K**. wrote:

_maybe this is just the girly part of me speaking now, but i had hoped in shooting star that jacob and sam would, as they say, "get together"_

I started off with such intention, and then decided to defy expectations and not hook them up. And it worked out better in light of this story anyway.

_and now you've made him turn bad and recruit the girls' clones? mean, mean, mean!_

Muahahahaha!

_i can't wait to see how this story unfolds, and i'm very very sad you're going to stop writing totally spies fics. any chance you'll reconsider?_

I'm afraid not. I thank you all very much for your support, but I'd like to make a career out of this. And while I've immensely enjoyed all three works, I feel I must move beyond fan fictions. But fear not, I'm going out in a blaze of glory!

**The Eccentric Cheesy Squirrel** wrote:

_Interesting. So all of your stories are related to each other, and you really begin to realize that in this chapter. I hope the spies go back to WOOHP! It'll be so cool if they do. So Britney stayed with WOOHP the entire time? Hmm, I wonder what running into her will be like. Wel, keep up the good work!_

That's how I planned it all. The idea for this one actually hatched before I wrote Counterparts, and after seeing "The Fugitives," the idea struck and I immediately worked it into Metempsychosis. As for your other questions, answering them would be spoiler!

**Micheal Beck** wrote:

_The story was picking up pace for a while, but since Korea it's not doing as well. Sam has been far too timid, I think, and the girls were far too slow to take the initiative in this chapter._

I agree that the pacing dropped off dramatically after Chapter 10, but that was intentional. I didn't want the action to escalate too rapidly, so I slowed it down so I can begin winding things up again without losing control. On your point about the girls, you may be right. I've still got a lot to do, so we'll see about that.

**Firespirit** wrote:

_I know this sounds a little nosy but who's your favourite spy? I have I guess, but I really want it comfirmed..._

Truth be told, I don't have a favorite. I love them all equally! Though I tend to gravitate toward Sam or Alex depending on my mood.

**Ham Ham Dude** wrote:

_yet, somehow I can't manage the 'poetic' David to become an FBI agent_

Tough beans. Deal with it! (evil laughter)

**Horseluver101** wrote:

_someones GOTTA get pregnant in this story!_

…(stabs)

**Psychedelic Leviathan** wrote:

_Wow, even though Mandy is near crippled her and Clover still go at it. I'm not sure if this is either funny or sad._

Like they'd pass up an opportunity to snipe at each other! Some things never change.

**Pikachu** wrote:

_I mean... most of the other males put themselves in their Totally Spies fics which, I think, totally messes up the fic!_

WERD! (respect knuckles)

_You haven't even told us what happened to the clones in 'Counterparts'!_

Now you know.

And knowing is half the battle!

(G.I. Joooooe!)

So with that, I'm turning the "Intermission" sign on in the Metempsychosis theater. You may move around and talk while we bring the house lights up, and feel free to use the restrooms and concessions stands. Also, the owner of the black Honda Civic? You left your lights on.

See you all in August

-Kanti


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

Britney slapped another mosquito off her cheek and applied more bug repellent while muttering curses under her breath. For two days now she'd crept up the Mekong River, and was now almost in Cambodia with no sign of her quarry. She looked ahead and spotted a ripple on the water's surface and turned the motor to guide the tiny fishing boat around what was likely a submerged tree. She resisted the urge to remove her straw hat and use it as a fan under the blazing hot sun, and instead unfolded her fan and fanned herself. She desperately wanted her portable mist fan, but Henry had ordered her to be as inconspicuous as possible on this assignment. This meant aside from her X-Powder and a few gadgets, the most modern thing she had was the cooler weighing down the front of the boat. Her clothing consisted of the simple white tunic and pants still worn by Vietnamese farmers and a wide straw hat tied on her head. The clothes felt filthy after two days of sweating under the sun, but she did admit they were quite breezy even in the humid jungle.

The motor sputtered and Britney glared at it as it coughed again before resuming a steady purr. Britney heaved a sigh and said a prayer over the rusty old motor and trained her attention back on the river. Dense jungle lined either side of the muddy river and appeared to choke the water off farther downstream. Strange beasts and exotic birds protested her motor's noise, though Britney couldn't help but feel it was actually she they were protesting.

Her eyes wandered to an unusual-looking tree, and upon closer inspection found it to actually be an ancient stone face that once belonged to a statue, but was sunk to its chin in the mud. Vines and moss hung from its timeless visage as it stared east across the river. Britney guessed that it looked to the sunrise back when it stood tall over the river. She swatted a bug she couldn't identify away and huffed as she puttered upstream.

"I swear to God Henry, one of these days…"

It all started innocently enough.

A few days ago, Henry summoned Britney to his office the only way WOOHP knew how: by sucking her off the street into a vacuum tube and dropping her onto the couch in Henry's office as roughly as possible.

"Good evening, Agent Britney."

"It was a good evening until about twenty seconds ago, Benny."

"If you have any complaints about how I run this organization then you know where the door is."

Britney turned herself upright and crossed her arms and legs. "So what's up, Benny?"

Henry's amused smile vanished and his face turned stone cold. "I'm afraid we have a major situation on our hands."

"Well duh, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"I'm serious, Britney. If my hunch is correct, we could have a major world crisis brewing here."

Britney sat up. "Okay, so what's the situation?"

Henry called up a projection of Jacob's face. It showed him at an open-air market on a sunny day, taken from some distance with a telescopic lens.

"This man's name is Jacob Ravask. He is a former US secret agent who has recently gone rogue."

"And you want me to track him down and bring him in?" asked Britney.

"Yes, but first you need to know who you're dealing with. These days Jacob goes by the name of Fenrir and calls himself the Demon Wolf."

"After the Norse legend?"

"Yes. I have reason to believe that he was responsible for the incident in North Korea."

Britney uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Sam saw him face-to-face shortly before he detonated the bomb."

"Sam? You mean the WOOHP agent?"

"Former WOOHP agent," Henry corrected. "She was on assignment for her current employer and had a run-in with Jacob."

Britney stroked her chin. "I see. So what do I need to know about this guy?"

"Consider him armed and extremely dangerous, Britney. I've heard people say he has no equal in this world. I'm always skeptical about such claims, but what it does mean is that he is a skilled spy and a talented fighter."

Britney bowed her head in thought for a moment and then looked up. "I was trying to figure out where that name was familiar, and I just did. Is he the same guy involved with Shooting Star?"

"The one and the same."

"So Sam has met him before."

"Yes."

Britney shook her head and sighed. "I can't believe Jerry actually let that psycho work with us."

Henry began pacing in front of his desk. "It's not much of a stretch, really. Back then he was a loyal government agent with expertise in dealing with people like Stephen. When the government offered his services, Jerry decided he needed all the help he could get. He had no idea then that Jacob would turn on us."

"So why did he?"

"I'm not sure. Since the incident he and whomever he's working with have been totally silent. Not one demand or ultimatum has been issued by anyone except for opportunists trying to take the credit."

"What do we do about them?"

"We let them carry on with their boasts. Our concern is the silent enemy, the real one."

"I see. So we're trying to keep this under wraps."

"Exactly. Jacob is tied to some very dangerous people you are not authorized to know about."

Britney raised an eyebrow. "Henry, if you expect me to track him down-"

"Don't worry, I'm getting you authorization as we speak. You'll have full clearance by the end of the day."

"Good! So if Sam ran into Jacob, did he tell her anything?"

"He waxed poetic about a mission of some sort as well as loyalty to some ideal or some such."

"So he's an idealist."

"Precisely. Which makes him all the more dangerous."

Britney studied the picture and memorized Jacob's face. She stood up and took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready. Any gadgets on tap today?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask," said Henry with a smile as a panel on his desk opened up and a set of gadgets appeared.

"For this mission, you'll be taking the Personal Helicopter Parasol, Infra-red Motion-Tracking shades, Laser Nail File, and Insect Repellant Smoke Grenade."

"Why Insect Repellant?" asked Britney as she accepted the gadgets.

"Because intelligence reports that Jacob is heading for Vietnam, so you're going to need it. Also, I advise that you travel as incognito as possible. To that end I've uploaded a Vietnamese farmer's outfit to your X-Powder."

"Let's see here." Britney opened her X-Powder and selected the new outfit from the menu. A brief flash of light later she was wearing a white tunic, loose pants and wide straw hat. She looked at herself and grimaced. "Henry! You've gotta be kidding me!" She then glared and shook a finger at him. "If you think this is because I can blend in better, remember that I'm only half-Chinese!"

"I'm aware of that Britney, but the real reason I'm sending you is because you're my best spy and Jacob is quite possibly the most dangerous man in the world right now. Right now you may be the only person capable of bringing him to justice."

Britney shut her X-Powder and focused her mind as she relaxed her body with a sharp sigh. "Okay, I'm ready. When do I leave?"

"Now." Henry pressed a button and the spring-loaded floor panel Britney stood on launched her through a hole in the ceiling with a yelp. "Good luck Britney!" he called after her.

* * *

Britney's stomach rumbled and she fished a rice ball from the small cooler beside her feet. She continuously scanned the riverbanks as she munched on her dinner, but the jungle yielded no clues. The sun began dipping toward the horizon, and it seemed the mosquitoes multiplied exponentially in response. The repellant and her disguise kept them at bay, but that didn't stop them from swarming in her face and tickling her nose from time to time. She swatted the pesky invertebrates away and steered the boat around a sharp bend with a wide embankment.

She popped the last bite of the rice ball into her mouth and started reaching for a second when her sharp eyes spotted something on the sandy embankment. She gunned the motor and turned the boat to the embankment and jumped out just as she ran it ashore. She sprinted across the sand to a spot under the overhanging trees, where an old campfire sat just outside the leafy canopy. Britney knelt beside the campfire and examined the ashes. It looked recent, but she couldn't be sure in the unpredictable tropical weather. She opened her X-Powder and scooped up a bit of ash with a glass slide and placed the ashes on the sensor as she contacted Henry.

Henry's hologram appeared in midair, apparently seated at his desk. "Good evening, Britney. How goes the mission?"

"I found a campfire that looks pretty recent, but I wanted you to analyze the ashes just to make sure."

"I'd be happy to." Henry reached forward and manipulated his desk instruments for a couple of minutes. While he did so, Britney examined the campground. It was recently vacated after all. She could still see the imprints in the sand where someone had slept, and the remains of a crude spit lay among the ashes. The biggest sign, and one that gave her the most hope, was a fish skeleton that still lay in the sand with bits of skin and flesh attached. Ants or some other scavenger had not yet cleaned the skeleton, which meant that she couldn't be more than a few hours behind her quarry.

"I've got the analysis, Britney," said Henry. "Those ashes are very fresh, no more than a few hours. If Jacob used that campground you're right on his heels."

"Excellent. This mission's in the bag."

Henry's face and voice turned grave. "Britney, be extremely careful. You know who you're up against. You've seen the file."

"I've taken down guys just as bad as him. I'll be fine."

"I appreciate your confidence, but be warned. There is something different about this man, Britney. Something I don't think you've encountered in other criminals."

Britney winked at him. "First time for everything, Henry. I can take care of myself."

"Good luck, Britney. And be careful."

"Roger that. See you at headquarters."

Britney closed the X-Powder and stood up. She walked back to the boat and paused before shoving off. The jungle continued to close in farther upstream, beckoning reckless adventurers such as Britney. She wiped the sweat from her face and hopped in the boat as she kicked it off the shoal. She sat down at the stern and started the motor after pulling the ripcord several times and puttered upstream.

Her heart pounded with the realization that she was hot on Jacob's heels. She felt confident as ever, but after reading the file on Jacob, she couldn't help but feel nervous about actually confronting him.

His file was one of the most impressive she'd ever seen. Jacob was an unparalleled assassin, a master spy, and a skilled fighter. Not to mention not half-bad looking. He certainly wasn't as handsome as her old teammates, but not ugly by any stretch of the imagination. Britney shook her head and slapped her cheeks.

"Snap out of it, Brit. He's the enemy. He's trying to start a World War. You don't date bad guys."

She took a deep breath and turned the throttle up. The motor revved up and the boat glided over the water a little faster in response. Britney felt her apprehension growing as her tiny boat plied its way into the jungle. She had read all the scant info on the Wolfpack, the group Jacob reportedly led. WOOHP's data on the group was sketchy and often vague, but it was more than enough to impress her.

She read Jacob's file as soon as Henry faxed it to her on the plane. What she saw was a patchwork file at best, but it was enough to give her an impression of the man she was chasing into the increasingly foreboding jungle. What she saw in Jacob's file told her she would need more than nerves of steel and great hair to complete her mission.

Most of Jacob's available service file consisted of missions bearing dubious codenames like "Cobra King" and "Midnight Sun," all run by a shadowy government agency WOOHP had no data on. In every mission, his actions were rated "outstanding" and some were accompanied by commendations from high-ranking officials, one of them being the President. But even the mission files she did have were skeletal in nature, only outlining his objectives and whether or not he completed them as well as the situation behind each. The one operation she did have a complete record of was Shooting Star. The sole reason being that it was a cooperative effort between Jacob's agency and WOOHP.

A panel opened on her seat's armrest and Henry's hologram materialized beside her.

"Good evening, Britney. How goes the research?"

"Just got to Shooting Star, actually. I can't believe Jerry actually let Sam and the others work with this guy. That's so not like him to put them in more danger than necessary."

"I'm sure he had his reasons. Stephen was no ordinary terrorist."

"I know, but, I can't shake the feeling that something's missing; that there's a piece of the puzzle I need."

"Is part of the file missing, or…"

Britney shook her head. "No. Everything we have is here, but there's something amiss about Jacob and the whole Shooting Star affair. Maybe I'm just thinking too far a head right now," she said with a shrug. "I'm sure Jacob can tell us everything when I bring him in."

"If he knows anything, we'll get it out of him. Are you still up to it?"

"Yes," she said with a moment's hesitation.

Henry noticed. "You don't sound like it. If you're not up to task, I have plenty of other agents to call upon."

"No, Henry. I'm fine!" she said with great zeal, so much so that Henry jumped and nearly spilt the tea he was about to drink.

He steadied his teacup and recovered his composure instantaneously. "As you wish. Track Jacob down and bring him in for questioning. My sources have just informed me that he his is heading for the Meikong valley, and was asking about boats."

"Then he's probably heading up the river. Any ideas why?"

"None. Frankly, I'd rather not wait to find out."

"Me either."

"Excellent. I'll see you when you back at headquarters. Oh, and something just came up you might be interested in."

"What's that?" she said curiously. When Henry said something like that, it usually meant something that would end in advancement if she did it well.

"Sam, Alex, and Clover have each requested to return to WOOHP as active agents this morning."

This time it was Britney's turn to have a klutz attack. "They did?"

"Yes."

"Britney leaned out of her seat to scoop up the dropped file. "Well? Are you going to let them in?"

Henry crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. "I don't know. Jerry never said the couldn't, but…"

"It's been so long! Do they even have what it takes anymore? I mean, they were super spies when they quit."

I'm less concerned with their ability than with their motives. Why the want to come back is my question."

Britney pursed her lips. "Do you think it has something to do with that Shadow Wolf character you told me about?"

"For their sakes, I hope not. This is not something I want them getting involved in straight out of retirement."

Britney's blood chilled as she passed a ward planted in a sand bar. Four human skulls hung from the arms and snakeskins were tied around the joint where the arms met the staff. As she drew closer to it, Britney guessed it was at least twenty years old, but that didn't stop her from imagining Jacob placing it there just to scare her, or where he might have obtained the skulls. What's worse, she began imagining that Jacob knew she was tracking him and was toying with her mind. She shivered at the thought and shook her head to clear it.

"Calm down, Brit. You're only imagining things."

_So why am I getting nervous?_ She asked herself. It certainly wasn't the jungle. She'd seen her share of such environments over her long career, and she'd been in much worse places than jungles. Did the ward really unnerve her so much? Was something in the file packet affecting her subconsciously? Was it something to do with the boyfriend she'd just broken up with? She counted off each possible reason for her sudden anxiety. It wasn't the oppressive jungle. It wasn't the humidity wreaking havoc on her hair. It wasn't her rickety old fishing boat. It wasn't the river, brown with silt and hiding innumerable obstacles beneath its murky flow. It wasn't even makeup, or total lack thereof in this suffocating humidity. Nor was it the incessant buzz and bit of mosquitoes endlessly plaguing her.

No, it was Jacob. He had done so much, but she knew so little about him. Stephen very nearly killed Sam in their duel ten years ago, but Jacob held his ground and almost won while running a high fever. As skilled a fighter as she knew Sam was, and herself as well, she didn't know how to gauge Jacob's abilities since his full strength had not been witnessed. On top of all that, he still had several years' experience on her.

Britney pushed such disconcerting thoughts to the back of her mind and focused on the river and the encroaching jungle. She slowed the motor as a junction approached. A tributary choked by shrubs and canopied with gnarled, leafy limbs fed the river to the right, while the main flow continued from ahead. Britney idled the motor and let the current carry the boat a few meters, revving the motor periodically to straighten the boat and maintain her position while she made up her mind.

"Okay Jake, which way did you go? Which way _would_ you go?"

She sat and deliberated for several minutes before finally deciding to go up the tributary. She did so for a number of reasons. One, the tributary was narrow and choked with vegetation, making it more suitable for losing someone or at least being hard to track. Two, a boat would be easier to hide in the dense brush along the shore as opposed to the wider banks of the main river. Three, if Jacob felt he was pursued, he could hide in the tributary's vegetation and ambush his pursuer, The final reason Britney chose the tributary actually came from her film professor; right turns are scarier. If Jacob wanted to intimidate his follower, and Britney admitted he was doing a fine job of that, he'd go that way.

So it was with these and other thoughts that Britney steered her tiny boat into the looming jungle.

She didn't have to go far. The river snaked through the jungle, which grasped at Britney from either side. She slowly made her way upstream for half a mile until she saw it. An old gunboat converted for fishing bobbed gently in the current, moored to a strong tree that reached over the water. Britney drew alongside the rusty old gunboat and tied her boat to it. She lightly hopped over the side into the gunboat and carefully inspected it. Signs of recent use were everywhere. Canned goods lay empty and scattered about the cabin, licked clean to prevent mold or decay and a half-empty water jug stood beside the pilot's chair. The deck was clean aside from the unused fishing equipment. Britney guessed Jacob had probably been gone less than a day. She was so close she could almost smell him.

She stood on the deck and gazed downstream. This dreadful assignment was almost over. She knew she was covered in countless bug bites that would all have to be treated as soon as she got home. She swatted another mosquito away and had an epiphany. She remembered reasoning that Jacob could hide easier in the tributary's thicker undergrowth. That's when it hit that she was standing in a classic ambush position – from directly overhead. She somersaulted backwards as something big and heavy fell to the deck from the tree above. Britney held onto the pilot's seat to steady herself as the boat rocked violently from the impact and she faced the intruder.

Jacob landed solidly on all fours and now squatted in that position with his hands spread wide to spread the force of the landing and steady himself as the boat settled down. He waited two counts and slowly rose from the deck like a serpent facing an enemy. His face was lightly painted with camouflage, and his stalker suit showed signs of having been in the jungle for quite some time.

"Who are you?" he demanded gruffly in Vietnamese.

Britney's voice caught in her throat. Covered in camouflage and standing in the shade of the overhanging trees, Jacob appeared on the boat like a force of nature. Britney noticed then that the birds that were peppering the steamy jungle air with their calls were silent.

"Who are you?" Jacob demanded a second time. "If you won't tell me, then get off my boat." Mistaking her for a peasant woman, Jacob took her arm in an iron grasp. Britney expertly wrenched free of his grasp and threw him to the back of the boat. Jacob caught himself on the rail before he went overboard and looked at Britney in surprise.

"Nice moves, farm girl," he said in Vietnamese. "Where'd you learn that?"

Britney spread her feet and clenched her fists at her sides. She lowered the rim of her straw hat to hide her face.

"I'm no ordinary woman," she responded.

"Then show me what you are."

Jacob rushed at Britney like a whirlwind and threw a swift roundhouse kick toward her face. Britney ducked his foot and aimed her knuckles at his jaw, Jacob leaned out of her fist's trajectory and wrapped his arms around her outstretched limb and started twisting it into a submission hold. Acting on pure instinct, Britney rolled over Jacob's shoulder, causing the rogue spy to lose his balance for a moment, but that moment was all Britney needed. She wrenched free of his snakelike grasp and turned around to find the heel of Jacob's left hand approaching her nose at high velocity. She parried the blow and stepped back as Jacob grabbed her hat and shoved it down over her eyes. Britney immediately released the chin strap and stepped back to leave Jacob holding nothing but and ugly straw hat.

The first thing he noticed was her mixed heritage.

"You're not Vietnamese," he said in English. "Who are you?"

Britney opened her X-Powder and changed into her blue spysuit. "My name's not important. I'm an agent of WOOHP, and you are under arrest for acts of nuclear terrorism."

Jacob snickered after his initial surprise at the sight of Britney's comely form. "That's all? There are worse things than terrorism."

"Not my problem. Now come along quietly or do I have to drag you home behind your boat?"

"Only one of us is going home in disgrace, and it won't be me."

"Fair enough. But I'm not paying your hospital bill."

Jacob and Britney lunged at each other across the tiny deck, rocking the boat and disturbing the otherwise smooth surface of the river as ripples drifted across to the other bank. They parried and countered and blocked with rising tempo until Jacob drew his fist back and fired a devastating punch at Britney. Unable to dodge, Britney's arms sang as they absorbed the blow. So powerful was Jacob's attack that Britney's boots squealed as she slid back almost three feet, but she didn't yet lose her balance. When she recovered from the blow, Jacob was standing still and smiling at her.

"What is it?" she asked guardedly.

"I like you, kid. What's your name?" he asked as they started circling each other around the tiny floating arena.

Britney momentarily blushed and stammered. "You li- wh- eh?" She shook her head to clear her mind and her flushed cheeks. "The name's Britney. I'm here to arrest you."

"Yeah, we've already determined that much," said Jacob with a roll of the eyes. "Britney, huh? Nice name. It suits you."

Britney blushed again, only this time less deeply and her embarrassment was mixed with anger. "

"Suits me?"

"Yeah, it goes well with you."

Britney stamped her foot on the deck, causing the boat to rock violently. "If you're trying to flirt with me, it won't get you anywhere! And if you're trying to be funny I don't find it the least bit amusing!"

"Quite the contrary my dear. I was buying time."

"For what?"

"I came here looking for an old friend of mine. I only knew him briefly when I was little, but I was hoping he'd answer my call."

"And?"

"He should be here any minute."

"Plenty of time to take you down."

Jacob cracked a wicked grin. "Try me."

Britney started to lunge at Jacob just as a jet of water burst through the deck a foot in front of her, accompanied by a loud report.

Jacob checked his watch. "Huh, he's early."

Bang! Another column of water tore through the bow, followed by two more in the boat's midsection. Water poured into the boat and it started filling with water and sinking. Britney looked about in confusion and backed against the pilot's cabin.

"What…what is this?"

"An old friend," replied Jacob.

A human sized object burst from the river and leaped into the boat. Britney had just enough time to notice it was a man in a high-tech SCUBA suit before he pointed his gauntlet-covered left arm at her. Britney recognized it as a weapon a moment too late and tried to jump on top of the pilot house, but her arms were immediately pinned to her sides as a bola wrapped around her and the magnetic balls locked together and pinned her to the boat with her feet hanging in the air.

_Nice going, Brit_. She struggled vainly against the Teflon cable. _Tied to a sinking ship with your feet off the ground. Real professional, Britney._

The newcomer lowered his arm and turned to Jacob. He wore a suit of advanced-looking SCUBA equipment, which included an elaborate-looking backpack with a pair of fins protruding from it, a large pair of boots that seemed to include some kind of propulsion system and swimming fins, and a helmet connected to the vest by a pair of air tubes. In addition he wore a gauntlet on his left arm and his right grasped a rifle of some sort. His entire suit was sleek and streamlined, giving the impression of a highly unusual-looking fish.

"Good to see you again Mariner" said Jacob.

Mariner removed his helmet, which revealed a 40-50 year-old man with fine white hair and a clean chin.

"The pleasure is all mine, Fenrir. I must say, I'm sorry about what happened between you and your uncle. Terrible loss, if you ask me."

Jacob's demeanor softened a little, and Britney thought she heard a hint of sadness in his voice. "That was unavoidable, but it's also history now. What matters now is I lead the pack now, and I need your help. Will you consider returning to the Wolfpack?"

Mariner inclined his head. "The Sea Wolf stands ready to serve the Fenrir." He looked at the now ankle-deep water in the boat and smiled dryly. "Shall we get going? I don't think even you can swim the whole river."

Jacob snorted. "Gladly. A helicopter is on its way to pick us up. The rest of the pack is waiting." He shook Mariner's hand firmly and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good to have you back."

Mariner's voice was cheery and full of fond recollections. "Good to be back. We have a lot of catching up to do. You were six when I last saw you."

"Hey! What about me!" Britney protested.

"Yes, what about her?" asked Mariner.

Jacob paused as the sound of a helicopter approached and stared at Britney. "Let her go. I like her."

Britney blushed angrily as the bola's magnets released her and she fell with a splash into the rising water and untangled herself from the cable.

"Don't consider this an act of mercy. You were just an inconvenience I thought I'd deal with later." The helicopter appeared and hovered overhead as it lowered a rope ladder. Jacob helped Mariner up before stepping onto the ladder himself. "I hope we meet again, Britney. It's been a pleasure."

The helicopter took off and left Britney alone on the fast-sinking boat. The boat tilted backwards and the bow pointed to the sky before Britney had a chance to come up with a plan and found herself treading water in the swift current. She swam away from the shore to avoid getting tangled in weeds or roots and looked around. The gunboat took her fishing boat down with it and her equipment and supplies floated downstream. She spotted the parasol a short ways downstream and swam to it. She opened the gadget, which was decorated in red and white flowers, and pressed the special function button. The parasol transformed into a miniature helicopter rotor and began spinning. Moments later it generated enough lift to pull her out of the river and lift her above the jungle canopy.

She held on with one hand and opened her X-Powder with the other to call Henry.

"Henry, this is Britney. I lost Jacob. He had help."

"Oh dear. What kind of help?"

"One of his lackeys. Called himself the Sea Wolf or Mariner."

Henry's expression turned very grave at the mention of the name. "I see. Return home at once, Britney. We have much to discuss."

"Roger that. I'll see you at home." Britney closed her X-Powder just as a shudder ran down her other arm. She looked up in alarm just in time to see the parasol's rotor sputter and die. She fell with a shriek into the trees and landed in the crook of a mossy branch with great calamity. She rubbed the back of her head and moaned a very rude complaint. She then looked up and saw a monkey staring at her curiously from another branch.

"Hi!" she said with much exhaustion in her voice.

The monkey screeched at her angrily and beat the air with its paws while jumping up and down.

Britney picked a nearby nut and threw it at the temperamental simian.

"Oh, shut up."


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Interest rates are going up," said Mark bleakly.

"I know." Alex looked at her husband with all seriousness. "If we're going to buy a house, we need to buy one now."

Mark nodded and threw back the last of his coffee. Two straight days he'd remained awake, waiting for a call that never came. Then early this morning he'd finally received a phone call, but not the one he'd been expecting.

"Sergeant Burnham?"

"Speaking."

"Your orders just came in, sir. The Colonel says unpack your bags, we won't be needing you just yet."

"Oh. Thanks," Mark said slowly. He hung up the phone, shuffled back to the bedroom, and practically fell across Alex, jarring her from her semi-peaceful slumber. By the time she figured out what happened, Mark had already fallen asleep on her lap. She merely sighed happily, stroked his hair, and went back to sleep.

Mark put the paper aside an opened the realtor's catalogue. He flipped right past the first several pages, which always showcased the best the realtor had to offer and were always far more than they could afford. He stopped at the middle-income houses and started browsing them, hunting for the best deal that suited their needs.

Alex gently tipped the magazine down so she could see his eyes. "Mark, I know you come from a family that didn't have much disposable income…"

"Thanks in part to my six brothers and sisters."

"…but if we need money, don't be afraid to let me ask my parents to lend us some to alleviate the house payments." She reached forward and gently caressed his chin. "My parents can help if we need it."

Mark took her hand in his and sighed softly. "Alex, I appreciate the offer more than you can imagine, but I can't live in debt to either of our parents. I vowed to support and protect you, and if I have to take money from our parents then that means I'm breaking my vows."

Tears welled up in Alex's eyes. "Oh, Mark…"

Mark kissed her hand reassuringly. "I'll think about it. If we really need the money, you can go ask your parents."

Alex leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

Mark returned to browsing the catalogue and Alex stood up and took their mugs to the kitchen. "More coffee?"

"No thanks, I'm fine now."

Alex cleaned the mugs and hung them to dry. She ran her fingers through her still-wet hair and wiped them dry on her bathrobe. She watched him underline or circle articles in the magazine and sighed.

Should I tell him? I haven't even been accepted back yet. How would he react? Can I even risk having a child if I go back?

"Something the matter?"

Alex pulled out of her reflection and noticed Mark looking at her.

"I'm fine. Just thinking about the house, is all."

"What about it?"

Alex came up with a few things on the spot. "What kind of furniture we'll get, what the yard will be like, how big it will be, what the neighborhood is like, how many bedrooms, you know what I mean."

"And what the foundation's like, and how old the roof is, and when the last inspection was, and what kind of termite problems it's had…" Mark added with a smile.

Alex pouted. "You military types. All worried about the technical mumbo-jumbo."

"If it weren't for the technical mumbo-jumbo our house would fall down around us mere months after moving in."

"Hmph. Fine, then. You can worry about the nit-picky details, and you can just leave the rest to me."

"The rest?"

"Well someone has to make the house look good, silly. If you're going to worry about foundations, I might as well choose what color to paint the bedroom."

"Alex, structural integrity is way more-"

Alex shushed him with a wave of her hand. "I've made up my mind, dear. You do your thing and I'll do mine." She winked at Mark to let him know she was just playing, and Mark returned a smile. Alex walked out of the kitchen and stretched her back.

"I'm going to change."

"Change? You're not working today."

"No, but I promised to meet Sam and Clover at the gym today. I think I'm falling behind after that mess in Korea."

Mark nodded. "I've noticed."

Alex stopped in mid-turn and glared at him. "You noticed?"

Mark realized he'd made a big mistake, and there was no backing out of it. "Well, you've gotten a little, shall we say soft over the last couple of weeks."

Alex started blushing and opened her robe up to look down her stomach. "And you never told me?"

"Well it wasn't that much of a change. Besides, you know I'd love you no matter-"

Alex wailed as she pinched a bit of flab on her arm. "I'm getting fat! This can't be happening!"

"You're not fat, Alex! I think you're perfect no matter-"

"Agh! How could I let this happen? I've got to get the gym now!"

Before Mark could respond she dashed down the hall into the bathroom. Alex quickly tied her hair back and washed her face. She turned to leave the bathroom and stopped. She stared at her reflection for a moment and pursed her lips. She untied her robe and let it slip to the floor so she could see herself in the mirror.

_Can I really go back in this shape?_

Though Alex was far from being out of shape, she could tell right away that physically she was in no condition to return to being a super spy, let alone a regular one. The tank top and flannel shorts did nothing to hide her 'womanliness' as she called it, and she sighed at the sight of her curves becoming curvier. Truly, her glory days were behind her. Her heart wanted to return to action, but her body wanted her to settle down and start her family. Maybe she was mistaken about applying for WOOHP?

She forced herself to keep her reservations for another day and focused on her rendezvous with her friends. She turned away from the mirror as she scooped up her robe and headed to the bedroom to change into her workout clothes.

* * *

Sam awoke slowly to the sound of music playing softly from…the TV? She looked up and saw the DVD menu playing its animation sequence and endlessly looped music and giggled a little at having fallen asleep watching the movie. She then noticed rhythmic breathing coming from behind her ear and felt the rise and fall of another person's chest. She sat up and looked behind her and realized that she and Brad had fallen asleep watching the movie. She glanced at her watch and scrambled off the couch.

"Brad! Wake up!" She threw a pillow at his face and he snorted and came back to life. "We fell asleep on the couch!"

It took a moment for Sam's words to register in Brad's mind. "Oh. Oh! Aw, crap! What happened? I don't even remember falling asleep."

Sam quickly tied her hair back and slipped her watch on. "Of course you don't. Nobody ever does!"

"Did you have something planned for today?" he asked as he sat up.

"Yeah!" she exclaimed as she picked up the empty popcorn bowl. "I promised Alex and Clover I'd meet them at the gym today." She looked at her watch. "AH! Forty-five minutes!" She collected the rest of the dishes and dumped them in the sink before hurrying back to the living room.

Brad started helping clean up, but Sam stopped him in her panic. "Don't bother! I'll clean it when I get back! Just go! Go!"

Sam shooed him off the couch and folded the blanket they'd cuddled under the previous night. Brad looked at Sam in bewilderment as he put his shoes back on.

"Sam, doesn't it take like fifteen minutes to get to your gym?"

Sam froze as if the thought had never occurred to her. "Why are you making sense right now? Get out! Go! Shoo!"

Sam shooed Brad out the door like a pesky dog and slammed the door behind him and locked it. In her harried state of mind, she didn't hear Brad mutter something mean through the door as she hurried back to her room.

She hurriedly rifled through her clothes and swore loudly.

"Where are they?"

She practically emptied all of her drawers in her hunt for her workout clothes. When she finally accepted the fact they might not be in he drawers, she stood up and nervously chewed on a nail. Ten minutes she'd already wasted searching for her clothes. They had to be somewhere in the apartment! She checked the washing machine and dryer, finding them both empty. She shut them with great violence and paced up and down the short hallway between her room and the living room. She stopped in front of the bathroom and heaved a sigh. She certainly preferred her stylish workout clothes, but this time it looked like she would have to do with one of her old jogging bras and a t-shirt. She entered the bathroom to fix herself up slightly before heading to the gym. She let her hair back down and tied it back more carefully so it wouldn't come loose during her workout. She turned on the mirror lights to check for circles under her eyes, and finding none, turned the lights off. She fixed a few errant strands and turned around to find her good workout bra staring her in the face, and her favorite pants hanging off the shower curtain rod beside it.

She stared at her outfit for a moment, not quite ready to believe it could be so simple. But when she finally accepted they'd been hang-drying the whole time because her dryer wasn't working right the other day, she grinned and laughed merrily and quickly changed into her outfit. Donning a shirt for modesty's sake she grabbed her keys and gym bag before hurrying out the door.

* * *

Clover awoke with her head on Mandy's shoulder and the pungent smell of alcohol in her nose. It took her a moment to register what her head was resting on, and when it did register she jumped away in disgust and immediately regretted moving so fast. She held her head and moaned loudly as she fell against the opposite arm. Her moaning and movement woke Mandy. She stretched and yawned deeply before focusing her attention on the bottles that littered the coffee table.

"Where is everyone?" she asked.

Mandy's shrill voice sounded like someone was working a circular saw in Clover's head.

"I…I think the last one left about 4."

"This morning or afternoon?"

"I don't think it matters at this point."

Clover covered her face with a pillow as sunlight entered the room.

"Argh, why do we keep doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Getting completely blasted, that's what. We know we'll be hung over in the morning, so why do we keep doing it?"

"Because, my dear, it's fun."

"Fun how? We've never scored with the guys we invite over."

"That's because they always get too trashed before we can start anything. Dumb guys think they can hold more alcohol and drink like camels and what do you think happens? They get so plastered you can't solicit so much as a teasing look."

"But we soldier on like good bachelorettes," said Clover from under her pillow.

"That's right!" Mandy declared. "Those guys were so obviously not meant to be. We can't let a little setback like that stop us!"

"From doing what?" asked Clover, still quite exhausted from her body's detoxification efforts.

"From finding a really good guy, settling down and…and…"

"Getting married?"

Clover waited for Mandy's response, but she found herself waiting much longer than usual for her sharp-tongued roommate. A strange hush fell over the room, the likes of which Clover hadn't heard in a very long time. She lowered her pillow past her eyes so she could see Mandy despite the exponentially harder pounding the sunlight brought to her head.

"Mandy?"

Mandy sat on the other end of the couch with her lips pursed and her eyes full of anxiety. She stared into nothingness as her hands shook ever so slightly. Her lips parted and silently formed quivering half-syllables, though she wasn't talking to Clover, or anyone else for that matter.

Clover resisted the desire to retreat into the pillow's inviting darkness and lowered it to her chest.

"Mandy? Is something wrong?"

Mandy opened her mouth, and at first Clover though she was going to vomit, but Mandy closed her mouth and took a deep breath. She lowered her gaze to the nearest empty bottle and spoke slowly and quietly.

"Do you…do you ever get the…this feeling that you'll never get married? That you'll go through life all alone?"

Mandy's question struck Clover like a truck.

"What? What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, do you ever feel like anyone could ever love you?" Mandy rubbed her temples. "I just…I feel like I'm not worthy of love. From anyone."

Clover's mouth began to fall open. Was it the gin talking? Or was Mandy opening up and baring her deepest feelings to Clover? Clover clenched her teeth and squeezed her pillow uncomfortably. All the years they'd lived and worked together, she'd never once seen Mandy drop her façade and reveal anything deeper than her actual skin tone. This sudden revelation was enough to make Clover nervous. And furthermore, weren't they still rivals? What on earth would make Mandy trust her judgment with something so personal?

Mandy continued, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. "I'm a total slut, you know. I've been through what? Six boyfriends in the last two years?"

"I've gone through that many in a month back in high school," Clover comforted.

"Well duh! Don't you think I know that? But did you ever sleep with any of them?"

Clover averted her eyes. "No, but-"

"Then shut up!" Mandy sniffed. "It happens every time, you know. We're together for a little while, and then he tells me he doesn't want to see me anymore. Why, I ask? He says because we 'aren't right for each other.' But I know what he really means. He's just tired of screwing me. Am I just lousy in the sack or something?"

Clover bit her lip to keep from saying anything. She recognized that last comment as Mandy thinking aloud.

Tears now ran freely down Mandy's cheeks. Clover scooted closer to her and gently rubbed her shoulder. "Mandy, why are you telling me all this? This isn't like you. At all."

Mandy looked at her through misty eyes. "It's been driving me crazy ever since the accident. I almost died and haven't really loved a man yet."

"But you didn't, right? You're still alive, and once your leg heals," Clover slapped Mandy's cast, causing her face to go white, "you'll be back to chasing boys in no time!"

Mandy smiled and shook her head as she wiped the tears away. "No more boys, Clover. I'm not spreading my legs for any man until I know we truly love each other."

Clover's jaw fell open. Did Mandy really just say she was swearing off men until…no, it couldn't be true!

"You can't be serious! You're not really swearing off men, are you?"

Mandy looked insulted. "No, stupid! I'm just not sleeping with them!"

Clover actually felt relieved when Mandy called her 'stupid.' At least they were back on familiar ground again. Seeing Mandy decant her soul like that was quite easily the most uncomfortable experience she'd ever had. Moreso than even the time she walked into school with no makeup and an outfit that didn't have a single thread that matched. She breathed a sigh of relief and slid back to the end of the couch. She looked at the clock and stretched lazily.

"Mmn, I need to get going soon. I'm meeting Sam and Alex at the gym."

Mandy waved her off. "Don't let me stop you. Not like I can anyway."

"I've still got a few minutes."

"Pity."

"Pity? Why?"

The room darkened as the lights went out, the ceiling fan started slowing to a halt, and the air conditioner kicked off all at once.

"You forgot to pay the electricity bill. I was hoping to save my throat the trouble of wasting itself on you, but it looks like that won't be the case this time."

Clover cupped her face in her hands and shook her head. "Dammit."

She got up and decided to head for the gym early as Mandy berated her for the next ten minutes without mercy.

"Okay, Mandy! You've made your point! Now shut up and let me finish getting ready!"

"Sure, you can just get up and leave for your nice, cool gym. But I'm stuck here with a busted leg in this infernal apartment! It's already getting warm!"

Clover leaned into the room with a smug look on her face. "Well then! Maybe you should stop talking so you don't spread more hot air in the apartment."

Mandy's face grew livid as Clover retreated back to her room. "Clover!"

"Whaat?"

"What are you going to do about the electricity?"

"You've got money. Pay the bill and I'll pay you back later."

"I charge interest!"

"Fine with me!" Clover walked in carrying a gym bag and wearing her workout clothes. "Okay, I'm out of here. See you at work."

"See you, Clover!"

Clover stepped out of the apartment and paused.

Everything seemed normal. Sparrows played with each other in the parking lot before a gust of wind scattered them. Cars drove down the road at regular intervals. Carpenters working on the complex across the street kept time with the steady rhythm of hammers and saws. The dull late summer heat drifted into her nose with the smell of asphalt and evaporating dew. The parking lot was still full of candy-colored cars lined up like sweets on display.

But something was out of place.

Clover looked over her shoulder at the apartment door. Mandy's sudden outpour had caught her completely off-guard. The apartment no longer felt safe. She remembered feeling intense trepidation when Mandy first extended the offer all those years ago, but this was something else entirely.

Clover took a deep breath and decided to save it for later, hopefully when she could get Sam and Alex alone.

* * *

Sam, Alex, and Clover hopped off the treadmills a little over an hour later. Sam hung over the handrail while she caught her breath, and Alex wiped the sweat from her eyes while Clover leaned against a treadmill. They said nothing for a few minutes while their breathing and heart rates returned to normal.

At length, Sam spoke.

"Thanks for coming, guys. That was fun."

Alex nodded vigorously. "Yeah, it's more fun with you guys around. I still can't imagine what things would be like had you moved to Sacramento, Sammie."

Sam looked at her and smiled. "You know what? Me either. I don't see myself moving away ever again, either."

"And what about Brad? What happens when he gets a job in another state after you're married?"

Sam shook her head and flipped her ponytail behind her. "If that ever comes up, we'll deal with it then. Right now I don't see myself or Brad going anywhere for a while."

Clover smiled. "Good! I still need to go shopping with you."

"Eh? What for?"

"I saw you in that suit the other day." Clover shook her head disapprovingly. "I can't believe how much your fashion sense has fallen off since we graduated."

Sam flushed and stammered. "I…wh…I…"

"Yes?"

"I'll have you know I know plenty about fashion, thankyouverymuch!"

Clover stood up straight and laughed. "Obviously 'plenty' refers to what you knew five years ago, girl. And believe me, as someone who's job is to make people have a good first impression, I know you need help."

"I do not need help!"

"Sure you don't," said Clover with a roll of her eyes.

Alex placed an arm reassuringly around Sam's shoulders. "Relax, Sam. Clover just wants to make sure you look as successful as you are. Besides, you still owe us a shopping spree."

Sam scowled at Alex for a moment, but Alex's simple, honest smile melted her indignation and she chuckled.

"You know, I do owe you two a shopping spree. Let me look at my schedule and see when I'm free."

Clover toweled herself off. "But first, can we please go clean up? I'm all for staying fit, but I'm not fond at all of being hot and sticky."

Sam nodded and turned away. "Okay, let's get cleaned up, then."

They eased into the locker room and settled at various places on the bench. Alex peeled her shoes and socks off, turning her nose away while she tied the socks up in a plastic bag. Sam untied her hair and shook out the sweaty, matted mess as best she could without showering. Clover grabbed her bag and held the zipper to open it, but didn't. She pursed her lips and took a breath.

"Hey guys?"

"Yeah?"  
"Something really weird happened earlier. At my apartment, I mean."

"Mandy actually do something nice for you?" joked Sam, which elicited a laugh from her and Alex.

Clover smiled weakly. "No, I wish it were that simple." She related to them what Mandy had told her. When she finished, Sam and Alex looked very grave.

"That's…unusual," said Alex.

"No kidding," said Sam. "Was she drunk or something?"

"Nope. Sober as can be. She just…I dunno, spilled her guts on everything."

"And this bothers you why?" asked Alex.

"Because that's like the total opposite of Mandy. Name one instance in all the years we've known her where she's shown us anything more internal than her tongue."

Sam and Alex thought long and hard, but eventually even Sam's brilliant mind came up with nothing.

"I can understand why she'd feel like that. I felt about the same until I met Brad."

Alex's eyes were misty, but just barely. "Gosh, poor girl. I mean, I met Mark right out of college, so I can't imagine what Mandy's going through, can you, Clover?"

Clover lowered her face imperceptibly so they couldn't see her eyes darken. "No, not really."

Sam crossed her arms and shook her head. "This is all really strange. But I can't figure it out yet. I've got too much work today."

"Yeah, me too," said Alex as she zipped up her bag. "Lots of patients today. How about you, Clove?"

"No telling, really. Hollywood's an unpredictable little machine, you know?"

"I'll bet."

Sam was just about to bid them adieu when they all heard it. A faint chirp like something had just been turned on.

Alex looked at her in alarm. "Did you just hear…?"

Sam's face went white. "Uh-huh."

Clover gripped the bench until her knuckles turned white. "Sam, you might want to sit down."

Just as Sam's butt touched the bench, the floor flipped over and dumped them into the tunnel below like a trio of flapjacks. The floor flipped back over and settled back into its original position as if nothing had happened. A staff member poked her head in, thinking she heard something, but shrugged it off as the air conditioner making noise. She spoke to the manager about it, who agreed that the air conditioner had been acting up lately, and would call the repairman to come fix it as soon as possible.

A couple of minutes of pitch darkness later, they tumbled out of the wall and were scooped up by the couch. The couch stood upright and faced the desk.

_Oh no, it can't be! _Though Sam as she rubbed her head. She opened her eyes and looked to the familiar old desk, and for a moment believed Jerry would be seated comfortably behind it like he always was. But this time, it was not to be. Henry sat with his calm face and focused eyes with his hands clasped in front of him.

"Good morning ladies. It's been awhile."

"Hi, Jer-I mean Henry," they said at once.

"Glad to see you're all getting in shape. You're going to need it."

"What?"

"After much consideration, I've decided to accept your re-entry applications and commence training the three of you effective immediately."

Sam sat up and protested. "But Henry! We've all got jobs to get to, and some of us have families, you know!"

Henry held up a hand in a reassuring gesture. "I've taken care of everything, ladies. Sam, you know I'm friends with your employer, so he knows all about it. Alex, you've caught a rather nasty cold and won't be coming to work today. As for Clover, she is going to be meeting clients out of the office all day. I hope these arrangements are satisfactory?"

Sam gawked at Henry's blatant disregard for their personal and professional lives for a moment, and then sat back in the couch and relaxed a little.

"Yeah, I guess that's okay."

But it wasn't okay for Alex. "But what about my husband? He only has one class today, so he'll be back early. Won't he wonder where I am when he gets home?"

"You're supposed to be at work right now, correct?"

"Yeah, but I've 'called in sick' remember?"

"Your boss knows that, but does your husband?"

"Um…no."

"Does your husband ever talk to your boss?"

"Not really, no."

"Then everything is settled. I assure all of you that you'll be back home at your normal times. Today is merely evaluations so we can see how far you have to go before you are re-activated as full-time agents."

"How long will that take?" asked Clover. "I mean, I can't take too much time out of my busy schedule to retrain, you know? This," she pointed to her hair, "takes a lot of work."

Henry smirked. "You pulled it off then, and I'm sure you can pull it off now. You're all big girls. Now, I'd like you to meet your personal instructor."

Britney entered the office with her beautiful raven hair flowing behind her and a smile that barely contained her excitement.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

"Britney!" they exclaimed at once and leaped off the couch to embrace her, only to crash face-first into the inside of a trio of glass cylinders that suddenly enclosed them.

"I thought I'd clean you all up before we get started," said Henry as he pressed a button that caused purple gas to fill the cylinders for a few moments. When it cleared and the cylinders rose back into the ceiling, the girls had been cleaned off and were wearing blue tracksuits.

"Not to shabby, Henry," said Clover. "What do you think, Al…uh-oh."

Through some mishap, Alex had been given a jacket that was five sizes too small around the neck, and her face was turning bright red as she tried to pry it off her neck and breath again."

"Oh my! Terribly sorry!" said Henry apologetically. "That thing still has a few kinks left in it." He pressed a button that lowered a pair of mechanical arms around Alex, and in a flurry of mechanical moments replaced her jacket with one that didn't have the same effects of a noose.

Alex gasped and held her throat. "Kinks? You call that a kink? Try disaster waiting to happen! I haven't been here five minutes and I still almost got killed!"

Britney embraced her and Alex forgot all about her near-death experience. "But I'm so glad to see you again, Britney!"

"You too, Alex! I can't wait to get started!"

She warmly greeted Sam and Clover, and Henry allowed them a couple of minutes to catch up before clearing his throat.

"I hate to break up the reunion, but we have business to attend to. Today Britney will be guiding you three through some basic exercises to determine your aptitude and how much training you'll need before you are reinstated. I can't fully restore your X-Powders just yet, but I have connected them to Britney's so you can contact her when you need to, and I will contact you as I see fit."

"Sounds good to me," said Sam. "When do we start?"

"Promptly at…right now."

The floor gave way beneath them and the four girls fell out of Henry's office and out of sight. He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the desk.

A display opened up and showed him a very familiar face.

"Good morning," said the caller. "I trust everything is going well?"

"Quite splendidly, if I do say so myself. You?"

"Quiet, but I keep busy. So, do you think they can still make the cut?"

"I won't count my eggs yet, but I have faith in them. They've been out of the game a long time."

"I know that, but I'm confident in their ability. They never once let me down."

"And I hope they'll do the same for me."

"Indeed. Any luck on the wolf hunt?"

"No. They've been quiet since Britney returned. I know they're planning something; biding their time."

The figure nodded. "The most dangerous enemies are the patient ones. They'll make their move when they're good and ready. I hope you are, too."

"Don't worry, Jerry. WOOHP is still in good hands."

"I know. I wouldn't have given the company to you otherwise. Take care of the girls. They mean a lot to me."

"I'll treat them like they're my own daughters."


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

Jacob walked slowly into the mansion's enormous dining hall with his head bowed in thought. These days the family was far too small to use the dining hall regularly but it was still perfectly suited to large gatherings and parties that his grandmother loved to put on. Many a diplomat and politician had seen the inside of the grandly furbished room, and the president himself had been a guest of honor on a number of notable occasions. In days of old, his ancestors had played host to the Tsars and their families, as a portrait near the window bore witness to.

The mansion was empty these days. Even his grandmother only stayed here for short stints, so busy was she with all their plans. The housekeepers felt more like the regular residents than any of the family these days. The whole west wing was rented out these days to the various well-to-do, less for the extra income than to keep the stately St. Petersburg landmark from falling into disrepair. Jacob often joked that the place should be willed to the housekeepers instead, and was always answered with murderous glares from his grandmother. He knew looks like that often resulted in the receiver ending up dead within the month, but he was secure. He was the Fenrir.

He slowly crossed the thick Persian rug to the curtains that covered the window. A thin line of gray light separated two sheets of velvet darkness, through which he could see a sliver of town. Jacob took the drawstring in hand and pulled the curtains open a foot to let the gray pre-dawn light into the magnificent room. He turned around, and found an old man wearing boots and a wide-rimmed hat seated in the high-backed chair directly across from the window. The gray light did nothing for his already pale cheeks and ghostly locks, but his eyes still shone with a lifetime of experience.

"Good morning, Bill. Is everything ready?"

"If they were any more ready, they'd spoil, Fenrir." Wild Bill said 'Fenrir' slowly, as if tasting a fine wine.

"Good, I trust everyone knows their parts?"

"Like the backs of their hands."

"Are they assembled?"

"You may call roll if you so desire."

Jacob smiled. He was weary from years of planning and preparation. Now that he was finally ready to set his machinations into motion, he felt like he needed to sleep for a week.

"Very well." He raised his voice so that it projected into the whole room without shouting. "As we can see, Wild Bill, our oldest and dearest member, is present. And I recognize him as the Bullet Wolf. Now is the time the Wolfpack assembled for battle once more. Show yourselves, that you may be counted as mine."

Jacob saw a shadow move in the corner of his sight. He turned to the right a little and saw Spectre standing half in shadow, his face and hands standing out as though they were disembodied from himself. The illusion lasted a moment, and then the shadows lightened in the increasing dawn light and he took on the form of a man.

"Spectre stands ready to serve the pack," he said in flawless Russian.

Jacob nodded. "And I recognize you, Shadow Wolf. It's been a long time."

"Yes, I was rather disappointed not to meet you in person last time. I wanted to see the man who inherited Stephen's mantle."

"You'll see plenty of me in days to come, my old friend."

The light increased incrementally, and Jacob spotted a woman in her mid-30s seated lightly on an ottoman. Her short blonde hair looked almost gray in the narrow ribbon of light, and she wore a bomber jacket over a plain tank top.

"Aviator, present and accounted for," she said as she stood and bowed. "I fly for you alone, Fenrir."

"Ava, good to see you. Your father says hello."

Ava blushed a little, but she still looked fierce and powerful.

"I recognize you, Air Wolf. We will need your wings."

Ava bowed again and sat down.

As the light continued increasing, Jacob's eyes found an older man sitting in the chair behind Ava. He wore a fine three-piece suit, though his hair looked wet as if he'd just come out of the ocean.

"I, Mariner, am ready to serve the new Fenrir. The seas will be your weapon as long as I live."

"Sea Wolf, it is a pleasure to see you again. I am honored to have one of my uncle's old members in my pack."

"Serving the Fenrir is my greatest honor."

A cough sounded around the room, and Jacob looked to his left to see a very old man draped in a blanket sitting beside the fireplace. His head was smooth and bald, contrasting with his full, white beard. His shoulders were bowed with age, but his eyes shone through his spectacles with unbridled genius.

"Toymaker, at your service."

"Machine Wolf, member of the original Wolfpack created by my great-grandfather. I still find it hard to believe you're still alive."

"God isn't finished with me yet!" he said with a cold cackle in his voice.

Jacob laughed. "And neither am I. Don't die on me anytime soon, old man."

"I'll die when I'm good and ready!"

A fleck of blue light on the other side of the fireplace caught his eye, and he saw Tatiana seated in a chair. Their eyes met, and she blushed a little and took a breath.

"Arachne places all the information in the world at your feet, Fenrir."

"The Ghost Wolf is a welcome addition to our number. These changing times require someone who is apt in its ways."

"Oh, stop! You are a legend. I'm just a girl who's good with computers."

"I am also old-fashioned, believe it or not. People like you keep people like me informed on the modern battlefield."

A candelabrum on the fireplace lit up spontaneously, illuminating a young man standing behind Tatiana. His hair was long and black, almost exactly like hers, and he was draped in a long gray cloak that hung from his shoulders to his ankles.

"Inferno. Your talents are untested in this circle. But I'm certain the powers of the Flame Wolf will be immeasurably useful to me."

Inferno inclined his head. "Thank you, Fenrir. I am eternally thankful for allowing me to serve with my beloved sister."

"You have her to thank for convincing me to invite you. Arachne here is very persistent."

Jacob looked around the room and spotted a young man standing beside the door. He wore a military uniform and carried a pistol on his leg holster.

"Who are you?"

Wild Bill stood and removed his hat. "Please forgive me. This is Viktor. I pulled him from the ranks of the GRU, feeling that he could bring something vital to the pack."

"And that is?"

"An ear in the government. A connection to the powers that be."

Jacob carefully scrutinized Victor. "Step forward, come here into the light."

Viktor walked to the center of the room and stood in the brightening light. The sun was just about to rise. Jacob could tell Viktor was nervous, but his eyes were resolute and his face showed no fear.

"You are from the GRU, correct?"

"Yes, sir!"

"No need for such formalities here, Viktor. Did Wild Bill extend an invitation to you, being the only member allowed to do so?"

"Yes."

"If I tell you to leave immediately, will you tell anyone about this group? You superiors? Your friends? Family? Loved ones?"

"No."

"How can I trust you?"

"You can't. Humans cannot be trusted."

"Then who can you trust?"

"I trust you, because you are not human."

Jacob smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Welcome to the Wolfpack, Viktor. I will assign you a title, but you are as yet unproven in my eyes."

Viktor turned to face him. Jacob marveled at his youthful enthusiasm and military etiquette. "What do you want me to do?"

Jacob looked out the window just as the sun's golden orb appeared above the city. "Go to WOOHP. Send Jerry a message. Tell him that the Wolfpack has returned, and our fangs are bare. Do this and I will reward you with a proper title."

Viktor bowed. "Thank you. It will be done." He turned and strode out of the room.

Jacob smiled pleasantly at Wild Bill. "Good find, Bill. I see great promise in that boy."

"As do I. Let's hope he lives up to it."

"Agreed."

Jacob again raised his voice. "Once again, the Wolfpack has gathered together. Now the time is right to fulfill the pack's true mission. It is time to realize my ancestor's dream and purge the evils that poison our world. It will not be an easy road. Many will stand in our path, but ours is the just cause. But you, my Wolves, have been selected to draw out these poisons because you are unique. You possess the talents we need to set things aright again. We must not let anyone stand in our path. Crush all those who stand in the way of our righteous mission."

"Our path is one of greatest tribulation. Our way is the way of destruction and death. Peace is but an ideal we fight for that others may enjoy it. It is entirely possible that we will spend our entire lives on a battlefield of one sort or another, moving from one fight to the next with no rest. Rest is peaceful, and we do not know peace. But this battle is not about personal glory. No, this is about securing the future for all mankind. We have sacrificed all hope of peace so that others may know true peace. True peace is what we fight for, and it will not be obtained until we purge the evils that have plagued our society for too long!"

Jacob took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He looked up and reopened them slowly.

"As you are all aware, I am not officially the Fenrir just yet, as I have not officially been granted the title by Medusa. I won the right for the title from my uncle, but only she can grant it. So before I become Fenrir and declare this group of men and women the new Wolfpack, I give you a chance to leave. If you wish for the chance to know true peace, if you are not willing to live a life of sorrow for the sake of others, you may leave. I wouldn't blame you."

Jacob looked around the now-brightened room, but no one moved. They looked upon him resolutely, rooted to the spot where they sat or stood. He smiled and took a breath.

"Then it's settled. Now that we are together, let us descend into the depths of Hell."

* * *

That week was a difficult one for all three girls. To bring them back to the level of super spy, Britney found herself pushing them harder than she ever intended. Each day ended in pain and exhaustion for the former spies, and by that Friday they were all ready to give up.

Clover collapsed against a locker. "I can't do this. What were we thinking, coming back to WOOHP after all these years?"

Alex tried to drink some water, but her hands trembled so badly she couldn't get a drop into her mouth. Sam took the bottle and held it to Alex's lips so she could drink. Sam's arms ached so badly she could barely lift them, but she still had enough strength left to help Alex.

"We can't give up," said Sam. "We just can't stand by and watch the world get into trouble when we know we can help."

"What good will helping do when we die in training?"

"We won't die, Clover. You can quit if you want, but I have to do something."

Clover waited for her breathing to calm down before continuing. "This is about Jacob, isn't it?"

Sam froze. She kept her eyes averted from Clover while Alex looked on sympathetically.

"For Christ's sake. Ten years and you're still hung up on him? Sammie, I know you've been through the evil boyfriend bit before, so-"

"He was never my boyfriend."

"What?"

"He was never my boyfriend. Just…a friend."

Alex leaned forward to look at Sam's face better. "Really? You two spent a lot of time together, if I'm not mistaken."

"We did, but, I don't know. I couldn't tell if there was any romantic interest for me in him. Either he was very good at hiding it, or it wasn't there at all."

"So why did you get involved with WOOHP again, Sam?" asked Clover. "This all started after you met Jacob in Korea, right? I know he's at the heart of all this. What is it about him that made you do this?"

Sam clenched her fist. "I don't know. There's…there's something I don't know about him. There's something I have to find out. I just don't understand why he's gone and done this. His dedication to justice, his sincerity, his loyalty to the truth, he can't have just tossed it all out the window."

"How do you know?" asked Alex. "Lots of good people go bad under the right circumstances. We've all seen it."

Sam shook her head. "But you don't know Jacob like I do. He's not…he's not…"

"Human?" said another voice.

The girls looked to the door and found Britney leaning against the frame with a pleasant look on her face. "Sorry, couldn't help eavesdropping."

Sam waved it off. "It's okay. Just discussing ancient history."

Britney sat down next to Clover and crossed her legs. Compared to the girls, she looked positively angelic. "You know, I had a run-in with Jacob the other day."

All three girls looked at her in shock. "What?"

Britney nodded. "We spotted him in Vietnam, and Henry sent me to arrest him."

"Guess it didn't go so well, huh?" said Alex.

"Nope. Turns out he was there to pick up a friend of his. Some guy with a tricked-out SCUBA suit named Mariner. He took me by surprise and left me up the river without a boat."

Sam rubbed her chin. "Mariner. Huh."

"Yeah. I think Jacob's been doing this for a while. I think he's gathering some sort of corp. together to help him do whatever he's planning. If they're anything like Mariner, we could be in trouble."

"We ran into another one, if it's any help," piped Alex.

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. A guy named Spectre, but he called himself the Shadow Wolf. He was so freaky! He could walk through shadows like doors or something."

"I see. We'll have to stay on our toes, girls. These guys mean business." He face screwed up in disgust as a thought passed through her mind. "I swear to God, though. That Jacob character tried to hit on me!"

"He what?"

"Back in Vietnam. He kept saying he liked me, and that he hoped to see me again sometime. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was hitting on me!"

Sam, Alex, and Clover had a hard time repressing a fit of laughter. They turned away from Britney to hide their expressions to no avail.

"What? You think this is funny?"

"No!" said Alex between her teeth.

Britney's cheeks burned. "He's the enemy! If he thinks for one second I'd date him, he's got another thing coming!"

Clover couldn't contain herself. "Maybe next time he'll bring a ring instead of a gun!"

The three of them exploded with laughter at Britney's expense. Britney's face turned bright red and she turned away with a "hmph!"

Clover leaned closer to Britney. "I think somebody in this room likes somebody!"

"Over my dead body!"

The girls shared one more laugh before calming down. Alex stretched and took a large gulp of water. "Ah, I so needed that. I feel way better."

Sam drained her sports drink and tossed the empty bottle in the trash. "Me too. I'm ready for tomorrow."

"Actually," said Britney, "You're off for the weekend. Get lots of rest and eat plenty of protein and carbohydrates so you'll have the strength and energy to go again on Monday."

"Um, Britney?" said Clover.

"Yeah?"

"How do you think we're doing so far?"

Britney blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Do you think we're, you know, still cut out for this work?"

Britney thought for a few moments and then smiled. "You all still have the knack for this, I can tell. You just have to rebuild your strength and stamina from scratch is all. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be the super spies we all remember."

"We?"

"Me, Henry, Jerry and all the rest of WOOHP. You guys are heroines, you know that?"

"Duh," said Alex. "We weren't Jerry's favorites for nothing."

Sam smiled coyly at Britney. "So does that mean you're Henry's favorite?"

"Well, Henry says he doesn't have favorites, but I always wind up with the best assignments for some reason." She winked at Sam and elicited a giggle from the tired redhead.

They sat in silence for a few minutes while the girls cooled down, massaged their sore muscles, and rested up before heading home for the day. So far they'd managed to keep their training a secret from their significant others, claiming their soreness was due to a new yoga class Clover had forced them into. It was hardest for Alex because Mark could see the bruises she came home with one day when she experienced a major SNAFU on the obstacle course, to which she attributed a headfirst trip down a flight of stairs. Mark bought it, but none of them were sure how long they could keep the charade up.

Sam's thoughts drifted to Jacob. She still couldn't accept him becoming evil. She didn't believe it was in his character to do so. Something about this whole situation deeply troubled her. There was so much she felt she needed to know, things she felt were vital to the entire case.

She opened her mouth to ask Britney a question when an alarm went off. Instead she exclaimed, "What the hell is that!"

Britney stood up. "It's a class three alert. Something's not right."

A hologram of Henry appeared in front of the door, and he looked quite angry. "Britney!"

"What's up?"

"Take the girls down to the southeast corridor on level ten immediately. There's been a disturbance."

"What kind?"

"Vandalism."

"That's it?"

"You'll understand when you get there. Now hurry!" The hologram vanished.

A few minutes later, the girls were shouldering their way through the crowd of agents that had congregated in the hallway.

"Let us through!" Britney ordered as she led them through the crowd to a spot where everyone appeared to be keeping their distance. The girls worked their way through the crowd and finally emerged from the crowd of bad suits and gasped in horror.

A dead pig lay on the floor, and above it the image of a wolf had been smeared on the wall with its blood.

Alex clapped her hands over her mouth and nose. "Oh, now that is NAST!"

Sam walked forward cautiously to examine the scene. The pig's stomach and throat were sliced open, and a blood-soaked brush lay beside it. A pool of blood spread out from where the pig lay, and the stench already filled the corridor. Sam looked up to find Henry standing beside her.

"Henry, what is this?"

"As a spy in training, I was hoping you could tell me."

Sam studied the scene for a moment and quickly formulated and answer. "It's a message. Possibly a warning of some kind."

"Any idea who? What about the pig?"

Sam looked at the pig, but could only do so for a few moments before her stomach started turning. "I'm not sure about the pig, but that's definitely a wolf on the wall. You don't think…Jacob?"

Henry nodded. "It makes sense to me. Fenrir, the demon wolf who devoured a god. As for the pig, the Romans defiled the altar at Jerusalem by sacrificing a pig on it when they destroyed it in the first century. Obviously someone doesn't think much of this organization."

Sam blanched at the smell. "Still, they could have chosen a neater method of delivering the message. Say, any ideas what that message is?"

"Yes. Do you remember Jacob telling you about WOLF?"

"His uncle's mercenary force? Yeah."

"WOLF was actually an offshoot of a group of soldiers known collectively as the Wolfpack. I'll tell you more later, but the Wolfpack is led by Fenrir. This grotesque painting has two meanings. One: Jacob is on the move and two: the Wolfpack has apparently been reassembled."

"That's a bad thing isn't it?"

"Very bad."

Sam and Henry studied the gory scene before them while WOOHP agents recorded everything they could and dispersed the crowd. Alex turned her back on it so as not to throw up, but the smell still made her face pale. Clover and Britney helped disperse the crowd while talking heatedly with each other.

Henry drew a fine-toothed comb from his jacket and straightened his hair. "You do realize what this means, right?"

"That we'll have to work extra hard from here on?"

"Precisely. With the Wolfpack on the prowl again, I'm going to need all the help I can get. The sooner you three are ready, the better."

Sam sighed. "Why us?"

"Because you're the best WOOHP has ever had. And of everyone here, you're the only one who has personally seen what Jacob is capable of. I need you, Sam. And I fear the world will need you as well."

As Henry's words to Sam sank in, his wallet beeped an old folk tune.

"What's this? An email?" he said as he opened it. He scanned the email for a moment before handing the wallet to Sam. "Here, you've been invited."

"To what?"

"Just read, Sam."

Sam read the email, which went as follows:

_To Sam, Alex, and Clover, former WOOHP spies and dear friends;_

_You are cordially invited to an exclusive ceremony at the Holy Cross Chapel in St. Petersburg, there to pay witness to the entitlement ceremony of Jacob Ravask as he officially receives the title of Fenrir. _

_The rest of the Wolfpack will be on hand for the ceremony, and you may greet them if you wish. I expect we'll be seeing a lot of each other in days to come. _

_Since the chapel is a house of God, I ask that you bring no weapons or devices to the ceremony. Though we are enemies, this is a peaceful ceremony, and I ask that you behave respectfully in a place of worship. We will not attempt to harm you, but any unwarranted behavior from any of you will be met with like force. Not all of us need guns or knives to do great harm. You may bring as much backup as Henry desires, but only you three may enter the chapel. _

_The ceremony will be this Tuesday promptly at 9:00 am. I look forward to meeting all of you._

_Sincerely,_

_Wild Bill, aka, The Bullet Wolf. _

Sam handed Henry's wallet back to him with a cloud over her eyes.

"Well? How about it?"

Sam looked at him with a brilliant gleam in her eyes. "We'll be there."


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

The girls shivered involuntarily as they entered the richly furnished chapel. It was warm outside and the chapel felt comfortable with the wind blowing gently through the open windows, but nonetheless the girls felt they needed parkas. Outside a detachment of WOOHP agents waited a safe distance from the chapel, ready to spring to their rescue should something go wrong. Henry assured them nothing would, but considering several of the world's most dangerous people were under this chapel's roof they found that hard to believe.

Stepping over the threshold felt like stepping into another world. They could see a group of people gathered at the altar on the other end, but otherwise the chapel was empty. They stood just inside the portal, undaunted but uncertain of what awaited them. The chapel was decorated with beautiful stained-glass windows that lined the walls and overlooked the altar. The walls and their supports arched overhead and met as an elaborate vaulted ceiling. Though the chapel was small, the architecture made it appear twice as large and twice as intimidating. The pews were simple wooden seats, but they looked hundreds of years old and were probably priceless. The morning sunlight filtered in through the windows and filled the chapel with a glorious light, as well as illuminating the altar and giving it an otherworldly appearance. About then the group of people noticed them enter and turned to face them.

Clover swallowed loudly. "You know, heh, I've never actually been in a church my whole life."

Alex took a deep breath. "Ever considered starting?"

"I am now."

Sam took their hands in hers and squeezed them. "Now's not the time to lose your nerves, girls. This is _the_ enemy here. We can't be afraid."

"I'm not!" declared Clover. "I just have to use the bathroom."

"Again?"

"I can't help it! I'm nervous!"

"Just hold it!"

"I will. I just hope they keep this short."

They slowly walked down the aisle, keeping their heads high and their eyes on the group before the altar. They were a strange assortment of men and women. The two women looked polar opposites. One was tall and athletic with short blonde hair and wearing a bomber jacket, and the other was short and slender with long black hair, glasses, and wearing a sweater. The men were a strange assortment, ranging from military-types to something out of a spaghetti western. Among them Sam recognized Spectre, who smiled and nodded politely as they approached the altar. Sam returned an icy glare and stopped when they reached the front pews.

The assembled crowd looked the girls over as they sized them up.

"These are the famous super spies from all those years ago?" sneered the youngest-looking one.

The one in the cowboy hat and boots snarled at him. "Mind your tongue, boy! They deserve as much respect as any of us." He turned to the girls and removed his hat apologetically. "Ignore him. He's young." He replaced his hat and stood up straight. "I'm glad you could make it. What you are about to witness is a great privilege to see."

"Just what is going on here?" asked Sam. She looked the crowd over and spotted a priest standing behind the altar, but his face showed no signs of wanting to help her.

"I suppose I must explain."

"Can you make it quick?" asked Clover. "I gotta go!"

The priest looked up and pointed to the right. "Toilets are through that door."

"Thanks!" blurted Clover as she dashed out of the room. Sam and Alex sighed and turned back to the matter at hand.

"You were saying?"

"Yes," Wild Bill continued. "You see, the title of Fenrir can only be granted by the head of the family."

"The Ravasks?"

"Correct. When Jacob killed his uncle, he only won the right to receive the title."

Sam bit her lip. He didn't seem to know that she killed Stephen, not Jacob. Did that mean she had the right to the title? Her stomach did a back flip at the thought of commanding this pack of rogues. What would happen if they found out? Frankly, she wasn't in the mood to find out.

Alex looked puzzled. "Why didn't Stephen just give him the right? I thought they were family?"

"I still wonder that to this day, my dear. It seems that Stephen's mind was deeply disturbed all those years ago. Apparently he was not willing to relinquish his title, thus Jacob had to take it by force."

An epiphany hit Sam like a brick to the face. "Jacob joined the mission so that he could claim his title, not to save Los Angeles."

Wild Bill's moustache broke into a smile. "Very good. He told me you were the smart one."

Sam's legs weakened and she stumbled back, steadying herself on a pew. Alex took her hand and supported Sam while she tried to recover her strength. "He just made it look like he was saving the city. We were just assets. He didn't care. He didn't care. Oh God." Sam's face turned pale and she started breathing heavily.

"Sam, calm down. Now is not the time to wig out on us," said Alex.

Sam took a deep breath and slowly found her legs again.

"But…it doesn't make sense." She turned to Wild Bill. "Why go to the trouble of involving us? Why didn't he do it on his own?"

Bill shrugged. "Old as I am, there is still much about that man I can't fathom. Perhaps he wanted access to WOOHP's near-limitless resources. Or maybe he had plans for you and your friends. I honestly can't be sure."

Sam leaned on the pew for balance as a river of thoughts flooded her mind. Just how many of Jacob's actions were a charade? How much he had lied to her? She even wondered if his battle with Stephen was rigged. If so, did he deliberately rig it so that Sam would be forced to kill Stephen? Her mind was so clouded she couldn't begin to fathom why.

A side door opened and Clover burst in and rejoined Sam and Alex. "He's coming!" she exclaimed. "Jacob's on his way!"

Moments after her declaration Jacob calmly entered the chapel. Beside him was the huge man Sam had seen him with on the bridge. Leo, she remembered his name. Jacob was dressed handsomely in an expensive suit, while Leo wore the military uniform from before. The Wolfpack turned and saluted them upon their entry, and they returned the salute.

Sam took one look at Jacob's face and lost control. She stormed through the pack, shouldering the grim warriors out of her way and strode straight up to Jacob. She paused for a moment to let her anger work up to just the right pitch and slapped him with all her might.

"You goddamn son of a bitch!"

Her slap and her words echoed around the chapel as Alex and Clover gasped. Leo looked on in surprised amusement. Most of the Wolfpack stayed perfectly still, but Inferno began to lunge forward, only to be stayed by Jacob's outstretched hand. He rubbed the cheek Sam slapped and scrutinized her.

"How could you?" she hissed.

"So you figured it out."

"Answer my question. For the love of God just answer me." Tears were in her eyes and her voice quivered.

Jacob's expression softened. "It's true. I didn't really give a damn what happened to the city. Frankly, I had other assignments I felt needed my attention at the time, but when Stephen's name came up, I had to take it. It was my only chance to claim what was mine."

Sam wiped a tear from her eye. "And what about us? Were we part of your plan? Or did we just happen to be there?" She grabbed his collar to make sure his eyes were locked on hers.

Jacob exhaled softly and looked into her eyes for a few moments. He took her by the arms and gently pushed her away saying, "You were part of my plan. I can't tell you any more or it will ruin everything."

Sam held on to his collar, not willing to believe him. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me there is some virtue in you. Did the light inside you fade, or was it just an illusion?"

They looked at each other silently for a moment. Jacob removed her hands from his collar and clasped them together before letting go. "I will tell you this much. After I met you, the plan changed."

Sam started to ask him what that meant, but she held her tongue, knowing that he'd never tell her. Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder as he walked past to the altar and was warmly received by the pack. Leo lingered by Sam and leaned closer to her as he lowered his voice.

"Don't let it bother you."

"How can I? He used me. Or at least he will use me."

"Don't worry about that. I can tell he won't let any of you come to harm if he can help it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Believe it or not, he has a soft spot for all of you. And I think you most of all."

Sam turned and watched Leo approach the gathered pack. The blonde woman in the bomber jacket saw him and excitedly embraced him, exclaiming "Daddy!"

She almost disappeared as Leo's huge arms wrapped around her and squeezed her with enough force to crush a refrigerator. Sam half-expected the girl to be crushed in his embrace and fall down dead, but when he let go she hopped away excitedly. He smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"How's my little dragonfly?"

"Better than ever! But daddy, I'm 32. I'm not little anymore. I'm a Wolf for crying out loud!"

"Wolf, dragonfly, or woman, you'll be my little girl to the day I die."

"Oh stop!"

Sam sidled around the happy crew to Alex and Clover. Alex was giggling and whispering to Clover, whose face kept turning red.

"What's up?"

"Nothing!" said Clover sharply.

Alex giggled again and turned to Sam. "One of those guys has the hots for Clover."

"Shush!" hissed Clover.

Sam blinked and looked to the pack. Jacob was exchanging words with the priest, who nodded or shook his head and responded quietly. Sam scanned the people at the altar, and sure enough, the young man in the shroud with long black hair kept stealing glances at Clover. Every time he did so, Clover blushed and the cloud over her head grew blacker.

"Oh my God," said Alex. "He's so hot!"

"He is not!"

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Shut up!"

"Go on, introduce yourself!"

"No!"

Sam tore her eyes away from the hilarious scene unfolding beside her to look at Clover's admirer. Sure enough, he was very handsome, though the shroud concealed everything below his chin. The black-haired woman finally noticed one of his glances and fwapped him while hissing something Sam didn't catch. She noticed the two of them looked very similar, almost uncannily so. Were they siblings?

"He's dreamy. Clover, I'm jealous," said Alex.

"He's so not my type."

"Why not?"

"First off, he's the bad guy. Second, he's too short."

Sam studied him closely. "He's not too short. He looks about your height, Clover."

Clover's jaw fell open. "You too? I thought you'd take my side on this, but I guess I know who my enemies are now. Anyway! He's still too short, and that hideous cloak does nothing for him. Besides, it looks like he's taken."

"I think that might be his sister."

Clover's thus far meticulous defense collapsed. "You guys aren't making this easy for me."

Sam grinned mischievously. "That's what friends are for."

Jacob stepped down from the altar and approached them.

"The guest of honor is about to arrive. We'll begin the ceremony shortly."

"Guest of honor?"

A few minutes later, the front doors opened and an old woman walked in. Jacob and Sam stood beside each other, and the rest of the pack was arrayed behind them. Sam felt whatever was left of the chapel's warmth vanish upon the woman's entrance and shivered uncontrollably. Jacob noticed her and gently rubbed her exposed arms. Sam stood stock still as he displayed this gentle gesture, Leo's words running through her head. '_…he has a soft spot for you all. And I think you most of all._' This thought, of Jacob showing some kind of interest in her, caused her to shiver even more, which prompted Jacob to rub more briskly. Sam decided she should distract herself with something before the blood rushed to her face.

"Who is that?"

Jacob stopped and put his hands at his sides. "Look closely, Sam. This is the head of my family. Few know her real name, but she goes by the name Medusa."

"Why do I feel so…afraid?"

Jacob smiled sublimely. "I don't blame you." He looked toward the approaching matriarch. "The woman you are looking at is what people in my circle call a Titan."

"A Titan?"

"Yes. Look well, Sam. This woman is one of the people who rules this world."

Sam looked at Jacob incredulously, hoping that he'd say 'just kidding!' But he didn't. He looked on at Medusa, who was just a few pews away. Sam turned her attention to Medusa and gulped. Medusa was richly dressed in silks of deep blue and snow white. A single pearl necklace adorned her stately neck, and a brilliant wedding ring encircled her ring finger. Medusa carried herself like a queen, and had an empress' aura. Her face was emotionless and stony until she approached Jacob. Then she smiled.

Sam never felt so scared in her life.

"My dear Jacob," she said slowly. "How long has it been?"

"Years upon years."

"My prodigal grandson. At last returned to claim his inheritance."

"Inheritance?" Clover blurted out. Sam winced at her outburst and imagined Clover clamping her hand over her mouth.

Sam saw blackest annoyance pass over Medusa's face, and it passed as she returned her attention to Jacob. "Yes, inheritance." She took Jacob's hands in hers. She looked tiny and fragile compared to Jacob. "No gold or land or holdings belong to this one. No, the title of Fenrir is his birthright, and I have come to grant it."

Jacob kissed her right hand. "Thank you Medusa. I have waited for this day my entire life."

"As have I. As have I."

Sam's insides froze as Medusa walked past her to the altar without so much as a glance in her direction. The pack parted and stood aside as she passed, and the priest straightened his collar. Medusa turned around and addressed the assembly.

"Honored guests and dear friends, please sit."

The girls and the pack sat down in the pews. They only occupied the very front row, and Clover found herself sitting next to the man with in the shroud. He pretended not to notice her, and Clover not to notice him, but Sam knew they were casting sideways looks at one another as they tried to concentrate on the ceremony before them.

Jacob remained standing in the aisle and faced the altar expectantly. Medusa extended her hand.

"Approach the altar, that you may claim your title."

Jacob approached the altar slowly and deliberately, taking his place beside Medusa. They both knelt at the altar and the priest said mass for them. When he finished, they both arose and stepped away from the altar.

Medusa faced him and said, "Kneel" and Jacob did so. Jacob lowered his head and Medusa placed her hand on it. "Jacob Ravask, heir to the title Fenrir, leader of the Wolfpack and son of my son, do you pledge to honor and carry out the responsibilities of the Fenrir?"

"Yes."

"Do you pledge to lead your Pack with honor, courage, and wisdom, as your precursors have done?"

"Yes."

"Do you pledge to bring peace to the world, through any means at your disposal and the strengths of your wolves, letting no man or woman stand in your path?"

"Yes."

"Then rise, Fenrir."

Jacob stood up, and the girls felt another chill run through the chapel. Medusa embraced him and kissed him on either cheek before turning to the assembly. "Rise, and greet your leader, Fenrir."

The girls stood as the Wolfpack rose and went to congratulate Jacob. Inferno lingered for a moment before joining them. The girls hung back, quite unwilling to congratulate their enemy and very much ready to leave. They were just about to do so when an icy threat from Medusa stopped them dead in their tracks.

"Who are you?"

They were just as much frozen by fear as something holding their feet to the floor. They looked up and saw Medusa glaring at them, her eyes practically glowing with rage. Jacob quickly stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, I invited them."

"You did?"

"Yes."

"And I can vouch for him," said Wild Bill as he stepped forward. "I wrote the invitation myself."

Medusa searched their faces for a few aching moments and relaxed. When she did so, the girls felt whatever was holding their feet release. She turned with a flourish and walked away from the altar.

"Very well. I'm afraid I have more business to attend to. I will probably see you next week, Jacob. Farewell."

She walked past the girls, casting them an evil glare as she passed before heading out the doors. Only then did the girls release their breath.

"Who…was that?" said Clover.

"That," said Jacob as he approached, "was my grandmother."

Sam rubbed her arms. The chill in the air was gone, but it lingered on her skin. "I always knew you had an interesting family, but it looks like I don't know the half of it."

Jacob smiled. "No kidding. And you haven't known her but for about twenty minutes."

Sam pursed her lips. She had a lot of questions to look into when she got back. The Ravasks, the Titans, Fenrir and the Wolfpack. Entirely too many mysteries needed unraveling, but she also needed to get stronger. Looking over the assembled Wolfpack, she knew she didn't stand a chance against even the weakest of them in her current state. Even the younger woman, slight as she appeared, probably hid some amazing ability. Not for a moment did she discount the older men. The older ones tended to be the most dangerous in her experience. She needed look no further than Terry, Jerry's maniacal twin brother who tried to completely destroy WOOHP and Jerry with it using an army of androids.

Clover suddenly realized that the man with long hair had moved within speaking distance of her. She wanted to make as hasty an exit as possible, but something compelled her to at least say hello.

Inferno opened the conversation with a simple, "Hello."

"Hi," clover replied curtly.

"I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't pitch it."

Inferno recoiled slightly. Touchy dame.

"Um, I'm Inferno, in case you were wondering."

"Who said I was? But just to be polite, I'm Clover." She kept her arms crossed, but Inferno didn't extend his hand anyway. "What's with the cloak?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"Might help if you plan on getting another syllable out of me."

Inferno shrugged. "I wear it for the same reason Wild Bill wears that old hat. It suits my idiom."

"And what idiom would that be?"

Inferno's lips curled into a smile and a disembodied candle flame flickered to life in the space between him and Clover. "I'm called the Flame Wolf for a reason, you know."

Sam saw his little display and noted it. _A pyrokinetic? So this is the caliber of villains we're dealing with. These guys are right out of a comic book._

Clover jumped at the flame's appearance. "How did you do that?"

The flame vanished. "I might tell you eventually, but not right now."

Clover noticed then that he was indeed quite short, just as tall as her in fact. Handsome, but still very short. Clover began feeling uneasy around Inferno. Not the sort of disease she felt around a bad guy, but something more akin to how she felt around a guy she was interested in. But it was different this time. With most men she was confident because she knew she'd get what she wanted in time. With her good looks it wasn't hard. But this one was out of bounds. She felt like she was eighteen again and looking down the liquor aisle at the grocery store. She wanted what she couldn't have.

_Oh for heaven's sake! He's the bad guy! He'll probably try to kill me before this is over!_

Clover realized then that they'd been looking at each other the whole time without saying a word. She flashed him a quick embarrassed smile and sidled away toward Sam.

"Can we please be going?" she said through clenched teeth.

Sam looked around and nodded. It seemed that the Wolfpack was losing interest in them.

"Might as well. It looks like the party's over."

The girls turned to leave and almost made it to the doors without being noticed. Then Jacob yelled "hey!" and they froze. He hurried up to them and shook their hands in turn.

"I just wanted to thank you all for coming. It means a lot to me."

Sam felt her anger boil up again. "I find that hard to believe."

Jacob stared at her a moment. Alex blinked and said, "What?"

"He used us. He never cared about saving the city all those years ago. He just wanted to kill his uncle so he could be here today."

Clover gasped. Alex stared at Jacob in astonishment. "I don't understand. How did we figure into the plan?"  
"If I told you, I'd ruin everything. You are all part of a plan that has been decades in the making, and now I will complete. But I can't reveal your parts in the plan just yet. It's too soon."

Jacob did something unexpected. He grabbed Sam by the shoulders and before she could react, leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Trust me, you're safe," he whispered into her ear before he stood back.

Sam fought the urge to gouge his eyes out and settled for blushing angrily and clenching her fists.

"I think you'd best be going," he said as he stepped away. "The warning still stands. If they try anything, I can't be held responsible for what will happen to them."

Sam saw the deadly looks on the Wolfpack's faces and knew he meant business. She nodded and reached for the doors.

"Think we'll meet again?" she asked Jacob.

"If we don't, then something is seriously wrong."

Jacob rejoined the Wolfpack and the girls stepped outside. Henry was waiting for them at a limo with the door open.

"Well, what happened? They were jamming everything, so we couldn't see inside."

Sam glanced back to the chapel, which now stood silent and peaceful compared to the atmosphere of impending doom that pervaded the interior.

"To be honest, nothing new happened. It's just that our enemy is official now."

"I see." Henry paused for a moment and straightened his hair. "So it's settled. Let's go home spies. You have a lot of training to do."

Sam nodded. "You think it will be enough?"

Henry patted her shoulder. "Training is really too strong a word. You already know everything we could ever teach you. We just have to jog your memory and get you back into shape."

The girls climbed into the limo and were soon pulling away from the chapel. Sam wished the limo would go faster. She felt as if they couldn't get out of St. Petersburg fast enough. The more distance she put between herself and Jacob the better.

Alex also wished the car would go faster. After meeting the men and women she'd be fighting and guessing what they were capable of, she wanted to be back in Mark's arms more than ever. The more she trained, the more she wanted to be with him, for she knew that a long and difficult battle was coming that would separate them for long periods of time. The question was, when would he find out, and how would he react?

Clover partially wished the limo would go a little slower. That man, who was he? She knew his codename, but what was his real name? And furthermore, why was she suddenly attracted to him? Of course she knew the answer. He'd been paying attention to her. That always warranted some attention in return, and he seemed more than willing to give it to her, even when his boss was being declared his leader by what appeared to be one of the most dangerous women she'd ever seen. Clover sighed and put these thoughts away.

All of them agreed on one thing. From here on out, they'd train harder than ever. If a fight was brewing, they were going to win.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

The following two months was a grueling time for the girls, but they also saw vast improvement. Within just a few weeks they had already re-learned all of their old spy tricks, merely needing to learn a few new ones from scratch. Britney smiled as they each picked three locks while blindfolded in under a minute, knowing full well they had always been able to become spies again. They only needed to get back into prime shape, and shape up they did. For two months Britney pushed them as hard as she could, and the girls only asked her to push harder. As the weeks of sweat and exhaustion wore on the girls improved dramatically. Faster and faster they cleared WOOHP's daunting obstacle course, better and better they became at sparring and combat simulations, and they honed their spy skills to razor-sharp perfection.

As a rather welcome bonus, their bodies showed signs of their training. Their bodies slimmed and toned over the weeks to match their increasing aptitude in training. Alex sighed with accomplishment as she saw her figure improving week by week. Mark had been right, regardless how it made her feel; she had gained weight. More than she thought to be precise. Apparently he was right about all the ice cream. She noted with much satisfaction after the first month her slimmer hips, more slender legs, and smoother curves all around. She felt like she was turning into a new woman, shedding her old anxieties and frustrations with the extra pounds. Mark noticed her physical and emotional changes, and very much appreciated the work she was putting into herself. If anything, she had far more energy in bed than Mark had seen for the past few weeks. Night after night they spent in a heavenly estate, Alex's newfound physicality breathing new life into their marriage. More and more she wanted to tell Mark about her decision; that she wanted to quit her job and go work for WOOHP full-time. But if she did that, could she really raise a family? Doubts crept into her mind as the weeks rolled past. She would lie in bed with her ear to Mark's chest, listen to his breathing and wonder if she could have a child now that she was a WOOHP spy again. Or at least would be in a month or two.

_If I want a baby so bad, why did I join WOOHP?_

She closed her eyes and listened to her husband's steady, rhythmic breathing. What was it all for? Why was she risking the family she always wanted? To re-live her early years? For some strange kick? Or worse yet, because she was secretly becoming bored with her current life?

Her chest tightened at the thought. She didn't want it to be true. She loved Mark with all her heart, and the incredible sex they'd been having for the past couple of weeks only let her love him even more. She still enjoyed her job. She enjoyed helping people and watching them become stronger with each successive visit. Was that why she wanted to go back?

She spotted the newspaper on Mark's bedside table. The light from the street light filtered in through the blinds and illuminated the headline: ** TERRORISTS BOMB BETH-ISRAEL.** She read and re-read the headline over and over. Henry had confirmed the Wolfpack's involvement in the bombings at Israel's airport, along with several other terrorist actions around the world. WOOHP agents were scouring the globe, but thus far they'd found no trace of Jacob or his pack of miscreants. However, it seemed that their actions were encouraging other groups to act as well. She placed her hand on her stomach and wondered what it would be like to raise a child in such uncertain times. To not know whether or not the next time you send your child to school will be his or her last. To not even be able to enjoy a family outing at a restaurant without the prospect of someone walking in with a bomb. She realized then that was what she went back for. She wanted to make the world peaceful again. She wanted to help make the world a good place for her child to grow up in. No, this wasn't for her or even for Mark. This was for the child they would have.

Alex closed her eyes and felt the peace of sleep wash over her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, an old lullaby played from a music box.

* * *

Sam, who hadn't really had much of a weight problem before, glowed with satisfaction at seeing her body become trim and toned. She considered growing her hair back to its old length for old time's sake, but liked it at this much more manageable length, despite what Clover said. She yearned for her slim, compact, and most importantly young teenage body. Back then she could do anything, but maturity and a civilian life had slowed her significantly. It took her almost 20 minutes to clear the obstacle course on her first run, and most new recruits did so in 15. Hearing news like that hurt her worse than anything Britney put them through in training. Sam had been an achiever her entire life. In everything she did she did her absolute best, be it school, spying, dating, work, or even admittedly, sex. Being told she couldn't even do something a fresh recruit could do was more insulting to her than a hundred curses. Britney's words only spurred her on.

With each passing week, Sam felt more and more energetic than she'd been in years. As her energy and confidence skyrocketed, so did her productivity at work. For weeks she'd been struggling to keep up with the demands of her job. In the aftermath of Jacob's bombing, her office had been flooded with work. Information was now racing about the world so fast that systems were breaking down like clockwork.

Except, that is, for United Communication's systems. Sam realized that Dr. Tsubaki knew what he was talking about all those months ago during that televised debate. Hackers were now attacking major computer systems all over the world. As information flew across the digital aether like never before, it became easier and easier to attack the computer systems that controlled it. There were too many computers and no means to enforce or protect them. It seemed that only United Comm's systems were built with such a surge in information and security faults in mind. As a result, orders were flooding in from all over the world, and it was part of Sam's job to keep up with the overwhelming demand.

"Overwhelming" was the perfect term to describe the first week after her return from Jacob's ceremony. Whatever the Wolfpack was doing, they were doing a damn good job of it. Since United Communications' networks were the only ones not affected by the cyber attacks and floods of data over the internet, everyone was ordering replacements from them. Tsubaki was, of course, extremely proud of his company's work, but that was the last most of the employees heard from him for three weeks. Sam knew as stressful as her job was, she couldn't imagine what the old man was up to. Men in expensive suits and a wide range of nationalities entered and exited his office as if it were a train station, but no one saw hide nor hair of Tsubaki until one day when the intercom broke and he had to walk outside to tell his secretary something. Sam was on her way back to her office from the coffee pot when she saw him. His face was creased from stress and fatigue, which made the old man appear older than ever. His tie hung like a noose around his neck and his shirtsleeves were rolled up past his elbows. There was no denying that he was overworked and completely stressed-out.

Sam felt it too in that first week after seeing Jacob. Being in charge of gathering and sorting information on their overseas systems, she was constantly flooded with status reports about major hacking attempts, floods of data on their systems, and requests from other companies to disclose those pieces of information, which she always had to get executive permission to release for each and every single request. Often Tsubaki was so busy it took days for him to sign these release forms, which resulted in Sam getting more and more irritable requests from the companies, and a couple of times she was called by a very angry CEO from Taiwan when Tsubaki was especially late signing a release form.

That day she went to see him about it.

She cautiously walked into his office and found him alone, sitting at his desk and staring at the window. He didn't appear to notice her come in, but he said "Hello, Sam" all the same.

"Um, Mr. Tsubaki? About that release form I sent you…"

"You need me to sign it, correct?"

"Yes sir. If it wouldn't be too much trouble. The CEO of Telemark already called me twice, and so…"

"Just a moment." Tsubaki swiveled around and removed the form from a large stack on his desk. Instead of signing it by hand, he used the signature stamp on the form. He picked it up slowly, as if it hurt to do so, and stamped each required line slowly before handing the form back to Sam.

"Thank you, sir."

"No problem," said Tsubaki wearily. Sam started to leave, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. It pained her to see her boss in such a state. No one should ever have to be put through so much stress. What's more, she knew it was Jacob's fault. Her blood boiled at the idea of that traitor causing so much pandemonium for some high-flung ideal. She resolved to stop him at any cost and started to open the door when Tsubaki's voice stopped her.

"Sam?"

"Uh, yes?"

Tsubaki's face was buried in his hands. He looked up and rubbed his face and clasped his hands together in that telltale gesture that he had something important to say.

"I know you've rejoined WOOHP."

"Y-you do?"

"Yes, and I'm proud of you for doing so."

"You are?"

"Absolutely. Foul play is at work right now, and we need people like you working to stop it."

"But, Mr. Tsubaki, I'm only one person! Even with my friends-"

"You three did amazing things in your day. Few people can even hold a candle to your accomplishments. I have no doubt in my mind that you'll get to the bottom of this. You may leave now."

"Th-thank you!" Sam placed her hand on the doorknob.

"One more thing," said Tsubaki.

"Yes?"

"Please do hurry. All this stress is going to make my hair fall out. I'd rather not die a cue ball."

Sam smiled and suppressed a laugh. "I'll do my best."

That was three weeks ago. Now, Sam's confidence and vitality were through the roof after three weeks of intense training. Though her job was still taxing as ever, it no longer affected her as it did that first week. She found herself able to keep up with the increasing demands of her position more easily as her body strengthened and her mind sharpened. She impressed everyone around her with her relentless energy, including Tsubaki. He eventually gave her the authority to release requested information without his permission, which not only smoothed out Sam's job but also took a small load off Tsubaki's shoulders. It was the very least she could do to help.

Brad noticed the change as well. As their wedding drew near, Sam's boundless energy pushed the planning along at breakneck pace. Sam couldn't wait to reserve her dress, but knew that had to wait for at least another month. Brad joked during an intense planning session that at this rate they'd have to move the wedding date up, and Sam, still caught up in her ideas, replied that might not be such a bad idea. A long, awkward silence followed her statement before Brad spoke up and told her he was joking. Sam jotted down another name on the invitation list and smiled.

"I know, just playing with you."

* * *

Clover, who of all the girls had maintained the best physical shape, was always one step ahead of the others in the early days of training, yet she always had the most to complain about.

"Eww, I'm all grimy!"

"This obstacle course is too long!"

"Don't push me! I'll go when I'm good and ready! Hey! Touch me again and I will rip that arm off!"

"Oh my God! I broke another nail! I hate you!"

"Britney! I thought we were friends!"

"I said don't touch me!"

For the first month Clover outclassed Sam and Alex in nearly every part of training. The only exceptions being first aid and the many mental examinations they had to take. Alex was more adept at the former thanks to her line of work, and Sam had always been the smart one. But thanks to her consistent yoga practice, careful diet, and persistent vanity she had managed to stay in excellent shape. But although it did mean she had no weight to lose, her regimen did not grant her much in the way of muscular strength, thus she suffered just as much as Sam and Alex. In fact, if one were to go simply by her volume of complaints, he would assume that she was suffering on a magnitude greater than the entire African continent. In truth, she was just whiney.

Clover's increasing vitality seemed to rub off on Mandy. Contrary to what she said, Mandy hardly did any work since the accident. Clover relegated some of the lesser duties to her like adding entries to their Rolodex and updating their website, but even for those simple tasks Mandy had no heart. At least that was the case for the first month of training. Mandy noticed Clover's already-impressive physique improve even more with each passing week. She had graduated from a wheelchair to crutches in that time, but her depression was still deep-set and ruining her ability to work, forcing Clover to take on more of the workload than she could realistically handle. It all started one day after Clover came back from a frighteningly busy day.

"Mandy?"

Mandy took her time responding while she leisurely updated the website from their computer. "Yeah?"

Clover set her briefcase down on the table with enough force to make Mandy turn around. Mandy noticed Clover was dressed in her fanciest business suit, and the look on Clover's face matched her attire.

"Is something wrong?"

"Maybe." There was an air of professionalism in Clover's voice Mandy wasn't used to hearing at home. They usually left work at the office, so clearly Clover had brought something home. Clover pulled a chair from the kitchen table and sat down across from Mandy. "When we started this venture, you and I both agreed to share the power to fire one another and assume control of the agency should one of us become incompetent."

Mandy's blood turned to ice water.

"Mandy, you can't keep going like this. You have to pick up the slack at the office. I can't handle it by myself! If you can't, I'll have no choice but to replace you."

"Clover, you can't-"

"I can, and I will. I've poured way too much sweat and tears into this business to let it slip because you can't do your own job because you can't get over an accident! I will do whatever I can to keep this business afloat, and if that means firing you, I will."

Mandy searched Clover's face for any trace of sarcasm, but found none whatsoever.

"Clover, you can't. Please!"

"You signed that contract, and you agreed to let me have the power to do so. If you can't contribute to the effort, I'll have no choice."

Mandy felt afraid. Ever since she'd first known Clover, her threats had always been idle. They'd constantly sniped at each other over their long and petty rivalry, but it never evolved into outright hostility. Now Mandy faced unemployment at the hands of her roommate and co-founder of her own business. This couldn't be how her career ended!

"What's it going to be, Mandy?"

Mandy brushed her hair back and sat up. "Gimme a ride tomorrow?"

"Where to?"

"Work, of course. Where did you think?"

"Oh, maybe the mall?"

"Tch, Clover, I can't believe you're underestimating me."

Clover finally broke a smile. "That's the spirit! Now, we've got a client first thing in the morning, and he's all yours."

"He'll have a part by tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh really? Care to wager on that?"

"How does fifty dollars sound?"

"Sounds great. Make sure you sign the check really pretty. And also, could you hand-deliver it in a pink envelope? In front of a client if you can manage."

Clover lost the bet.

* * *

After two months of intensive training, Britney was asking herself if the girls were ready to begin active service again. However, she wasn't sure. True, they excelled at all the written tests now. Yes, they were running the obstacle course at well under the ten-minute goal. Certainly they were very adept at hand-to-hand combat as well as gadget use, but Britney knew such skills were easily retained. The real question was, where they psychologically ready to return to service? They had changed so much over the past ten years. Were they still able to function as a cohesive team, or had their differences driven potentially dangerous wedges between them. She knew Alex was married, and Sam was about to be. Clover was still single, but operated her own business with her roommate. Britney knew it would be difficult if not impossible to keep their spy work secret from their significant others. Alex's husband would probably have to be told. He was in the Air Force, so Britney knew he could keep secrets. But even so, how would he react to finding out that his wife was and is a secret agent? Sam's boss already knew, but Britney had a hunch her fiancée would find out eventually. As for Clover's business partner, she couldn't say. However, long leaves of absence would arouse suspicion from any intelligent person, though she had often overheard Clover speak less favorably about her partner's mental capacity.

After watching the girls nimbly work their way through the obstacle course one evening, Britney decided to take her concerns to Henry.

* * *

Somewhere on the outer wall of the WOOHP complex, something wasn't right. The security system was hardwired into almost every inch of the building. If someone so much as leaned on a window too hard it would notice it. Should a vent suddenly become obstructed, it would alert central command and assess the problem. A common joke was that the only things that weren't rigged were the toilets, for the technicians felt no security system in the world would want to monitor toilets twenty-four hours a day. They thought it would be rude. However, security wasn't concerned with what was happening in the bathrooms at the moment, regardless of the two young agents getting hot and heavy in the 20th floor east ladies' room.

No, it was more concerned with a large ventilation shaft near the outer wall on the second floor. The vents here were very large, for they fed the prison block and the biology and genetics labs. They were actually large enough for two men to comfortably walk abreast until they reached the first fork, which split off into many small vents leading to different parts of the floor. However, the wall a man walking in that vent toward was rather thin. A strong kick from a very strong man could knock it in if it weren't for the titanium plate covering it on the other side, but even then it would only take a small charge or a laser cutter to break through.

This vent was considered a high-risk area for intrusion, which was why every inch of this vent was laced with sensors. But something still wasn't right, thought the security computers. Everything read normal, but something still wasn't right. Chances were a rat had damaged a cable somewhere, and it advised the security center to schedule a maintenance check in the second floor ventilation access. It assumed all was well, even as a pair of laser torches burned through the outer wall and began cutting a large door in the wall. In about twenty seconds the two torches cut a square door out of the wall, and a moment later it was pulled off with great force. The space the wall once occupied was immediately filled with humans wearing gas masks and carrying tasers and gas cannons. They rapidly filed into the vent, crawling in from below and swinging in from above. Ten soon filed in and ten more were behind them. The leader silently took point with his taser drawn and the rest filed in behind him two abreast.

* * *

Britney entered Henry's office from the door for once.

"Good evening, Britney. So nice of you to drop by."

Britney noticed the disappointment in his voice and repressed a smile. Henry loved WOOHPing people almost as much as Jerry did.

"Hi, Henry. Listen, about the girls…"

"Yes, how is their training going?"

"Better than I could have hoped for. I think they might be ready, but-"

"Splendid! We should re-activate them as soon as possible."

"But I'm not quite sure if they're _ready_."

Henry's enthusiasm subsided. "Oh, I see. What's on your mind, then?"

"It's not them I'm worried about, but their significant others, if you know what I mean."

"You're worried about what they'll do when they find out."

"Yeah. Clover's still single, but Alex is married, and Sam will be. You know as well as I do how important those relationships will be to them."

"You would, would you? At least I have had the privilege of being married, Britney."

Britney blushed. "Henry! Can we please not talk about that?"

"Oh, so sorry. Anyway, I understand your concern. The danger exists that their external relationships could affect their effectiveness as spies."

"And more importantly, their safety."

"Yes, I see." He paused for a few moments. "Very well. As their trainer and an experienced agent, what do you suggest?"

Britney paced back and forth in front of the desk for a minute. When an idea hit her, she stopped and placed both hands on the desk. "They need a test. A real-world test to put their skills to the test. Then we'll know if they're ready."

"So you're suggesting a test mission for them?"

"Essentially, yes."

* * *

The leader of the intruders raised his hand to halt the column when they came in sight of the wall. He stepped forward and removed a breaching charge from his belt.

"When this goes off it will trigger the alarms." His British accent was cultured and heavy, and his voice was confident and laced with arrogance. "Alpha team, we're heading to the prison blocks. Bravo team, secure the escape route and cover us. Secure your objectives and exit as quickly as possible. Alpha team, I'll take point. Cover me."

He placed the charge on the wall, set it, and stepped back with his taser ready.

* * *

"So what kind of mission should we send them on?" asked Britney.

"I'm inclined to go easy on them, but it should certainly be a challenge. Something very worthy of WOOHP involvement."

"Something, say, along the lines of their old missions?"

"Something like that. Minimal gadgets to test their problem solving and intuition."

"There's that situation in Korea. I've heard someone's stirring the pot again over there."

"No, that's too sensitive. We need an assignment that will test them while not being too sensitive to our operations."

That's when the alarm sounded. Henry checked his console and frowned.

"What happened?" asked Britney.

"There's been a security breach on the second floor. Reports of fighting in the hallways and multiple intruders."

"Intruders?"

"Yes." Henry looked at her placidly. "I think they got their examination, don't you agree?"

Britney hesitated for a moment. She wasn't expecting to use an invasion to put her friends to the test. But it was the perfect opportunity to put what they've learned to the test on short notice.

"Y-yes sir! I'll inform them right away!" Britney darted out of the office. Henry looked at the consoles and observed the mayhem through the security cameras.

"Alright you little buggers, what are you doing here?"

* * *

Sam, Alex, and Clover were stretching and cooling down after completing the obstacle course in their fastest time yet when the alarms went off.

"What's going on?" exclaimed Alex.

"Attention all WOOHP agents," said Henry's voice. "We are under attack. Intruders have infiltrated the building at the second floor and appear to be moving in either direction. All available agents assemble to stop the intruders."

"We're under attack?" said Clover.

"Seems that way," said Sam. "Unless this is another simulation."

"I'm afraid not," said Britney as she walked in. "This is the real deal."

The girls faced her and stood ready. "What do we do?" asked Sam.

"First off, get changed." Britney tossed their X-Powders to them. "Your spysuits have been uploaded to your X-Powders. Get changed and help stop the intruders." With that, Britney ran off. Sam opened her X-Powder and checked the costume selection. There was only one option; a familiar-looking green jumpsuit.

_I guess we're back in business_ she thought as she selected the suit. The X-Powder beeped and the projector lens bathed her in a brilliant light. Sam felt her clothes dissolve and be replaced with close-fitting material that covered her like a second skin. She opened her eyes after the light faded and found herself clad in her trademark green spysuit. Best of all, she found nary a curve out of place. She snapped the X-Powder closed and tucked it away on her belt.

"This is it, girls. Our first action. Scared?"

As if in response, Clover and Alex both changed into their spysuits.

"I was born ready," said Clover.

"Yeah, me too. Let's kick some butt."

Sam flashed them a smile. "Then let's find some butts to kick."

* * *

Alpha team quickly made their way to the cellblocks, gassing or tasering any WOOHP agents who got in their way. A particularly hardy agent managed to withstand one of their gas grenades until the leader introduced the agent's face to the butt of his taser.

"Look alive, you curs," he barked to the team. "Bravo can't hold them off forever!"

Obediently, the team hurried forward down the corridor after their leader until a spray of stun lasers erupted from down the hall. The team dove aside, but one was hit and crumpled to the floor as his teammates returned fire. Two of them launched gas grenades down the hall. The canisters exploded on impact, filling the corridor with acrid orange smoke, but the laser fire kept up.

"Damn, they've got masks. Cover me."

The leader drew his taser and sprinted from his hiding place as lasers traced brilliant paths through the smoke around him. He waited until he could just make out the outlines of the defenders and leaped high into the air, somersaulting over their heads and landing in their midst. He took two of them out – one by smashing his head into the wall and the other with a vicious roundhouse kick – before their comrades even knew he was there. He grabbed one and drove his knee into the agent's stomach, causing the agent to double over. The leader jumped over his back and kicked the gun from the next agent's hands, grabbed him as soon as he landed, and used him as a shield to block the last agent's stun gun. The leader tasered this agent, and floored the last agent by yanking his gas mask off.

When the smoke cleared, he was standing before a heavy vault door and five unconscious elite agents lay at his feet. He froze when he heard a clicking sound that he thought came from the door, but then realized it was applause. He turned around to find his team clapping for him and took a short bow.

He stood up and shouted, "Stop clapping and get that door open!"

* * *

A pair of intruders chased a group of coughing and wheezing WOOHP agents through a cloud of teargas, tasering them at will and chasing them toward an entrance where they'd set up a defense to cover Alpha team's escape. They tasered the last two agents and hopped over them as they ran to the door. It automatically for them and both intruders received a high-heeled boot in the face and fell to the floor unconscious.

Sam and Clover stood over the intruders while Alex stepped forward to examine them.

"That's odd," said Sam. "I thought the doors were rigged to only let WOOHP personnel through in an emergency."

"So why did the door open for them?" asked Clover.

Alex slipped a card out of one intruder's vest. "They've got WOOHP ID cards."

Alex handed the card to Sam, who studied it for a moment before putting it away.

"We'll deal with that later. Right now we've got an invasion to stop."

Alex and Clover nodded and began hurrying down the hall, but Sam stopped and knelt beside one of the unconscious invaders.

"Sam, what are you doing? What happened to 'we've got an invasion to stop?'"

"Hang on, let me check something."

Sam removed the intruder's mask and the headset underneath. She put the earphone to her ear and listened.

"What can you hear?" asked Alex.

"Lots of tactical stuff. Sounds like they're trying to secure part of this floor while another team does something else."

"Another team? Where are they?"

"I don't know." She examined the headset, which revealed a switch on the earpiece. She flipped it and the sounds coming from the headset changed. She put it to her ear and listened.

"Hurry up!" said a distinct British voice.

"There, it's ready sir."

"Okay, everyone stand back. There aren't many guards in the cellblock, but be ready for anything."

Sam strained her ears as an eerie silence lingered over the headset, and then an explosion in her ear nearly deafened her and she threw the headset to the floor to save her hearing, but that didn't stop the ringing in her ear.

"What happened?" asked Clover.

"The other team's heading for the cellblock. This isn't an invasion, it's a jailbreak!"

"What? Aw, man! Does this mean we have to go down where all those icky criminals are?"

"Sorry Clove." Sam opened her X-Powder and contacted Henry.

"Henry! This whole thing is a jailbreak!"

"What? Who are they trying to spring?"

"I don't know, but we'd better not let them."

"Agreed. I imagine you'll want the fastest way down to the cellblocks?"

"If you don't mind."

Henry worked at his console for a few moments before a 3-D blueprint of the floor appeared.

"There's a stairwell not far from you that leads all the way to the cellblock. But I'm afraid even then you won't-"

"Thanks, Jerr!"

"What? I'm not-!" Henry's voice was cut off by Sam closing the X-Powder.

"There's some stairs this way that will take us to the cell block. Come on!"

Sam led them down the hall and took a right to a door marked "Emergency Exit." They burst through the door, stopped and looked down over the railing. The stairs descended to the cellblock level in a square-shaped spiral, with just enough room for one person down the middle.

Sam climbed onto the rail. "Shortest distance between two points is a straight line."

"Except on a globe," said Alex.

Sam stopped herself just as she was about to jump. "What?"

"The shortest distance between two points on a globe is a curved line. I learned that in Geography 1005."

Sam and Clover sighed.

"Let's just stop the bad guys, okay?"

"Oh fine. Be that way."

The girls leaped over the railing and down the space in the middle of the stairwell like perfectly timed acrobats. One by one they descended like green, red, and yellow comets, and one by one they used their bungee belts to swing safely to the floor as they neared the bottom of the shaft. They landed light as feathers one after the other and wordlessly ran to the door on the other side of the stairwell. The burst through and surprised an intruder, who panicked and fired his taser without aiming. Clover cartwheeled under the shot while Sam and Alex dove past him. Their dives distracted the intruder long enough for Clover to end her cartwheel in a hard right hook that floored the villain. Clover jumped on him extra hard to make sure he was out before continuing down the corridor.

* * *

The leader and three others made their way down the catwalks that lined the high-security sector of the cellblock. One prisoner after another stood up and cheered them on, asking the intruders to let them out, but instead they walked right past. The leader looked on each one as they continued past the cells, recognizing many famous faces and a few he knew personally. But of all these prisoners, only two would see the light of day today. A trio of guards tried to rush them and was quickly taken down with taser fire. He listened closely to the radio chatter. Bravo team was encountering heavier resistance and three of them were not responding. Henry was likely sending in the heavy reinforcements now, and they didn't get much heavier that the woman in the blue spysuit who appeared before him.

"Out of the way, my dear. I have important business with a couple of your prisoners."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Don't trifle with me, woman."

Britney leaped at the leader, who sidestepped around her and attacked. Britney grabbed his arm and locked it at his side, and the leader slipped his foot behind hers. Before Britney could let go and back away, he stuck his gloved hand in her face and the glove released a cloud of gas. Britney's vision completely blurred and her lungs burned from the noxious fume as she let go of him and defensively covered her face. She felt a great push from behind and her feet left the ground as gravity took hold of her and pulled her toward the center of the Earth. She instinctively reached out with her right hand and grasped the railing on the next catwalk down. She pulled herself onto it and tried to pursue the intruders, but she couldn't think straight between her near-blindness and her searing lungs.

The leader motioned the other three and they continued down the catwalk. He looked at the cell numbers and counted them off as he searched for a particular number.

"183, 182, 181, ah here we are, 180."

He knocked on the door, and the handsome man inside looked up.

"Who are you?" he said gruffly. He looked like a man who had suffered countless defeats at the hands of the people he hated. But his eyes still burned with unrequited vengeance against those who defeated them. He was just the person they needed.

"Tim Scam, is that any way to greet your liberators?"

Tim Scam stood up. "You know of me?"

"Very well, Scam. And what's more, we need you."

"Who needs me? For what?"

"Both questions will be answered later, after we get out of here. All I can say is that we're offering you a chance for revenge."

Scam hesitated for a moment, and then smiled wickedly. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

The leader signaled the other three, who began working on the locks.

"By the way," said Scam. "Would my liberator mind telling me his name?"

"It's-" An alarmed shout from the other end of the catwalk cut him off as one of his teammates flew out of the door and slammed into a wall. A yellow blur appeared in midair as it knocked another to the floor. The blur revealed itself to be a Hispanic woman in a yellow jumpsuit, and a redhead in a green jumpsuit and a blonde in a red jumpsuit appeared a moment later and began running after him.

"Oh, you can't be serious."

"What is it?" asked Tim anxiously.

"I didn't think they'd finish training yet."

"Who?"

"Three young ladies I think you know well enough."

Tim stepped away from the door. "It can't be! I thought they retired!"

"Not entirely, my friend." He motioned to one of the others, who handed Tim a pair of electronic earmuffs. "Put these on. You'll need them in a moment."

Tim Scam stared at him curiously, and then obeyed.

The leader stepped forward to meet the girls, who stopped outside his hand-to-hand range.

Alex realized who they were trying to free and sighed. "You're trying to free _him_? Come on, he's totally incompetent. Can't you at least spring a villain with class?"

"Alex!" Sam hissed. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I go by many names, my dear. But you may call me Nightmare. I'm here for two of your inmates." He pointed across the room to another cell where a group of intruders were working to free a woman.

"That's Geraldine!" Clover exclaimed.

A bulb in Sam's head lit up. "Both of them have tried to destroy WOOHP in the past. You're planning to use their combined powers to destroy WOOHP, aren't you?"

Nightmare laughed. "If only it were so simple. But I fear that time is short, so I must be _going_."

The way he said "going" had a strange effect on the girls. They felt their hearts jump ever so slightly and their pulses increase for just a moment.

"I'm _afraid_ that you're _involved_ in something much bigger than _yourselves, ladies_."

The three of them shuddered. What was going on?

"This is much bigger than _WOOHP_, bigger than _anything you've ever seen_."

Sam's pulse quickened with every word. Clover's breath became shallow. Alex's hands trembled. All three of them felt their heads swim.

"I am called _Nightmare _for a _reason_. _I can instill _fear in even _the_ hardiest _of souls_."

"You're…you're crazy!" shouted Sam.

"_Am I?_"

Alex screamed. She saw a dead baby covered with a shroud lying on the ground before her. The cloth was bloodstained and filthy, and all Alex could see of the child was its infant hand, still and cold on the ground. Somehow she knew she was looking at her own child, and there was nothing she could have done to prevent its death. She tried to look away, but her eyes were glued to the bloody scene even as she began weeping. Her knees buckled and she sank to the ground, overcome with grief.

Sam looked back when she heard Alex scream and cry. She turned to Nightmare and took an angry step forward.

"What are you doing? Stop hurting her!"

"I am doing nothing to her that she wouldn't do to herself, Samantha. She is merely experiencing her very darkest fears."

Sam noticed his voice had no effect on her this and she realized what was happening.

"Now I know what it is. It's your voice that's doing this!"

"_Very good. Now tremble in fear of the Nightmare incarnate._"

Clover looked at her hands and saw the skin turn sallow and gray. It never occurred to her that she was still wearing gloves. In the corner of her eye, her hair turned gray and began falling out in little silvery strands. She looked up and saw a monster reflected in a mirror. Her eyes were sunken and dull. Her skin was sickly and loose on a once-beautiful face, and her rotting teeth matched the filthy rags she wore around her shoulders. Clover looked down and found herself sitting on a city street with an old hat turned upside-down to collect meager donations from stingy passersby. She took a whiff of the mildewed and alcohol-soaked rags she called clothes and fainted.

"Stop doing this!" Sam shouted. Nightmare's voice was getting to her now. The details of the cellblock faded into less and less until only she and Nightmare remained. But something else was coming just at the edge of her perception. Something awful. "You're one of Jacob's wolves, aren't you?"

"_Do not associate me with that pack of curs!_"

Nightmare's voice struck full and deep into Sam's psyche. Nightmare vanished and everything went dark. She looked down and saw Alex and Clover battered and bloodied, slumped against one another, defeated and crying. The looked up and past Sam and their eyes filled with despair. Sam turned around and saw a pile of charred ruins before her. She looked up and spotted a figure standing atop the pile. His coat billowed in a wind that fueled the fires burning on the other side of the pile and lit the black sky with an orange glow. The figure spotted her and looked down. Sam gasped when the flames revealed Jacob's face against the darkness. His eyes glowed with unspeakable malice and looked like they could set fire to anything he laid eyes on.

Sam stepped back as Jacob descended the pile toward her. The firelight grew as he descended and illuminated the dark landscape. As the light grew she recognized where she was. It was Beverly Hills, only everything had been ruined and burned. The trees were bereft of leaves and the streets were empty and cold. The wind sighed of death and doom as Jacob descended. And what's more, the rubble Jacob was climbing down was the remains of her house. The rubble crunched under his shoes and the dying grass shriveled under his feet as he alighted.

Jacob extended his hand, and Sam saw herself willingly take it. That's when she lost consciousness to the sound of Nightmare and Tim Scam's malicious laughter.

* * *

Jacob watched Sam-Athena bench press more weight than he'd ever seen any man press in his entire life. The bar bent from the massive amount of weight on either end, and she was only just beginning to break a sweat as she completed her hundredth repetition. Her assistants looked on in awe as she repeatedly lowered the massive weight to her chest and hefted it back up.

"Good God, she's strong."

Lacan was standing beside him and snorted. "Of course. I made them that way. She's even stronger than I predicted."

"This room's no good for her anymore. She'll have to start using the heavy lifting machines."

Lacan chuckled. "I agree. The men are tired of being shown up by the clones all the time."

Sam racked the bar and sat up. She massaged her arms and wiped the sweat from her brow as assistants removed the weights for her.

Lacan sighed contentedly. "She's regained all of her lost strength. She's ready for deployment any time you want."

"Rest assured, they'll be plenty useful to me."

They watched Sam get up and get a long drink of water. Her alabaster skin gleamed with sweat under the white lights. Her workout bra and shorts flaunted her slender, toned physique and long legs. She would look irresistibly sexy if it weren't for the deadly stare in her green eyes.

"I hear you might ask them to join the Wolfpack."

"Maybe. If they can prove themselves worthy."

"I assure you they're capable of performing any task you set them to."

"It's not their physical ability I'm concerned about. If that were the case, Toymaker and Arachne would not be in. What I'm concerned with is them upholding the ideals of the Wolfpack. I fear they may be too consumed with revenge and emotional baggage."

Lacan crossed his arms and mused. "We shall see. It looks like Sam is finished, so I'll be giving her checkup if you don't mind."

"Go ahead, doc. Say, have you seen Alex around?"

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"Just asking. She worries me sometimes."

Lacan laughed. "If any of them don't worry me, I know something's wrong, my boy."

Jacob let the "my boy" remark slide so Lacan would leave as quickly as possible. He didn't relax until he knew the doctor was gone, heaving a heavy sigh and leaning against the two-way mirror they'd been watching Sam through.

Viktor watched the exchange from the door and read Jacob's reaction like a book. "You hate the guy, don't you?"

"I hate his guts. But we'll have to go along with his plans for us to succeed. You know how I feel about that."

"I feel the same way. And like you said, we don't have a choice."

Jacob nodded and stood up. "Is Leo suspicious?"

"No. He doesn't have a clue."

"Good. Let's keep it that way. What's the word in the government?"

Viktor laughed. "It's bedlam in the Kremlin. I feed them a few bits of misleading information and chaos breaks out. But that's not what I came here for."

"Oh?"

Viktor took a deep breath. "Atlas is back."

Jacob spun around and grabbed him by the collar.  
"What did you say?"

"Atlas is back. I just got word that Nightmare sprung two prisoners from WOOHP headquarters yesterday."

Jacob let go of Viktor and ran his fingers through his hair. "Great, Nightmare's back in business, too. Who were the prisoners?"

"Tim Scam and Geraldine."

"Their history?"

"Two scientific geniuses who have both tried to dismantle or destroy WOOHP. Looks like Atlas wants them working together."

"And knowing them, WOOHP isn't their only target. Do we know of any other Atlas members that are still around?"

"Negative, boss. So far Nightmare's the only one who's shown his face. Apparently his voice is still intact, too. He used it on those girls you mentioned a while back."

Jacob grimaced. "The Sound of Terror. Not a nice weapon to use on novices. Keep your ears open on that end. Tell me anything you hear."

"Will do." Viktor saluted and turned to leave. Jacob heard him open the door and say, "Oh, it's you," before the door shut again. Jacob turned to find a lovely Hispanic woman standing in his path.

"What are you doing here?"

Alex-Athena smiled. "I came to see how you were doing Fenrir."

"Don't call me that."

"But I thought you liked being called that?"

"Not by you. You don't have the right."

Alex took a step forward. "Oh? I am a warrior too, you know. I'm just trying to show a little respect for such a legend as yourself. You know I adore your achievements. I feel like it's an honor to even be in the same room as a man like you. I just wish you were around more, if you know what I mean."

"You're not even human."

Alex took another step toward him. She was now at arm's length. She lowered her voice and said, "I'm human enough."

By this point her pheromones were riddling Jacob's mind with all kinds of messages. They told him exactly what his subconscious wanted him to do and flashed images in front of his eyes. Her alluring voice only made the aching stronger as she continued her advance. Even so, he remained calm so far. They'd been here before.

"Human or no, you're still one of Lacan's creations. And I know exactly what he wants from me and you."

She took a half step forward. Her languid eyes probed his. "So why not? We were both engineered by him. It's like we were made for each other."

Jacob's nerves rattled. Not something that happened often.

"Hardly. I'm not sure what he made you for. But he made me to fight, not to love."

"Come on, you believe that? I know you have a soft side. You just don't let it show because you're supposed to be the big, tough Fenrir."

She took another half step toward him and closed the gap. She was now standing inches away from Jacob and peering up at him through beckoning eyes. Her pheromones bore into his brain and set his senses ablaze, but still he stayed strong as she advanced.

"I'm not one to be toyed with, Alex."

She draped her arms around Jacob's neck and pressed against him. Despite being four times stronger than any human, she could still be gentle as a feather, and exponentially more alluring. Her sweet breath coiled around Jacob's neck like a noose as she gently stroked the back of his neck with her fingertips.

"You can toy with me."

This was not a new occurrence. Ever since Alex-Athena laid eyes on Jacob two years ago, she'd made it no secret that she wanted him. Jacob made it a point to avoid her by staying away from the labs as much as possible, but sometimes his duties did require him to pay a visit. Alex always shadowed him during these visits, and her advances strengthened with each visit. Jacob was always able to hold his own against her advances, but this was the strongest she'd ever come on to him.

She was so close now he could smell her. She was lightly perfumed and her herbal shampoo's scent wafted from her dark hair and mixed with the perfume to create a potent love potion that intoxicated Jacob's brain. He made the mistake of locking eyes with her and felt his heartbeat increase along with hers. Her arms coiled more tightly around his neck and drew them even closer together. Her hot, sweet breath added to the potion that was already making Jacob's head swim and his heart want to leap out of his chest. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and claim her right then and there more than anything he'd ever wanted. His blood boiled with desire and everything except for the woman before him turned into a delirious haze.

Her eyelids slowly closed and she tilted her head just a little to the right as her lips parted. She raised herself on her toes and craned her neck as her lips sought Jacob's. Her arms coiled around his neck and slowly drew them closer together. Jacob could hear her lungs raking shaky breaths through her lips in feverish anticipation. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and Jacob knew he was trembling just as much as their lips drew closer and closer.

Jacob reached up and unwrapped her arms from around his neck and stepped away from her. She opened her eyes and drew one last fevered breath before recomposing herself in noticeable disappointment. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked hopefully at Jacob, but he remained unmoved. They stared at each other in silence for a minute before she sighed.

"Well, I need to get going. Catch you later, Jacob."

Jacob said nothing as she walked by. She cast him one last seductive smile before walking past him to the door. She made sure her hips and shoulders swayed extra fluidly as she left. Jacob's eyes followed her all the way out the door and didn't leave her until the metal partition hid her from view.

Wild Bill saw the whole thing. He had walked in while Alex and Jacob were distracted with one another and had watched them unseen.

"Keerist, man. I thought she had you for sure that time. You sure you okay?"

Jacob roared and smashed his fist into the two-way mirror. The glass cracked around his fist and spidery cracks radiated through the mirror from the impact point. It stood for a few moments before separating from the wall in one piece and falling on the gym floor.

"Ooh, that bad?"

Jacob shook his fists and stormed. "I wanted to rip her clothes off and take her right then and there!"

Wild Bill laughed. "I don't blame you. Just being near those things makes me go crazy. But, I'm too old for that kind of thing. You really are something else to resist her for so long."

Jacob turned with an "hmph!"

"Come to think of it, why don't you take her? She obviously wants you. I see no harm in slaking your lust for each other."

Jacob took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. "Like she said, our existence was engineered by the same man."

"You don't want her because she's one of Lacan's creations?"

"No. The thing is, I don't know what his plans for them are. I don't know if I'm in them, and I don't want to take the chance."

"I see. So what's the plan now?"

"Atlas is back. We need to find out what they're up to in a hurry. Consider them the greater threat for the time being."

"Understood. Do you think they'll try their old plan again?"

"Can't say. If they are, we could be in big trouble if they've figured out where the samples are already."

"I can have a detachment heading for the first sample in twenty-four hours."

"Make it so. Take Viktor with you. Find out where the second sample is if you can."

"As you wish, Fenrir."

Jacob turned around and shook Wild Bill's hand. "Godspeed, old friend."

**END OF PART TWO**


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Prologue**

_A clockwork room. Gears spin and the air is heavy with the ticking of gears and chains. William Shakespeare enters from the darkness._

"It's funny, you know. Some people treat writing as a form of diversion, a means to take their minds off the world. Some, like myself, have made their lives on it, immortalizing themselves in verse and in song. But writing itself is a double-edged sword. It at once relieves the writer of the stresses of life and consumes his entire being. Yes, that is the danger of writing isn't it? In order to escape one trap, the writer must become entangled in another.

"Writing is all-consuming. If the writer is to truly put his soul into his pen, he must give his entire being into his craft. An hour, two hours, a day, a month, it doesn't matter. When he writes his mind must be totally concentrated on his pen. Otherwise he becomes distracted and what he writes is not his soul but his distracted mind. When the worries of this life consume his attention, the true writer can write nothing.

"But never fear dear readers. Just because the hand is idle does not mean the gears do not turn. Nay, the writer's mind is an immortal clock, ticking away in the depths of his imagination until such time as he can be permitted to express himself freely. Our dear author has merely found how difficult writing can be when life takes him by surprise.

"Thus he strives to commit his soul to this tale. Ever his gears do turn but never can his hands move for his craft. Indeed, the lessons of love and industry have taken his life by storm. But if he is one thing, he is the author. His tale will have its end, and this drama will be complete. This is his tragedy, but the tragedy is not yet complete. Our beloved characters still have so much farther to fall before this drama is done! His vision will shape the world of this story, and his will shall bring it to fruition. But do not fear, readers. A tragedy is merely a dramatic action in which persons of high stature fall to mean estate. It may very well have a happy ending! All who walk the earth now will someday sleep beneath it. This is merely tragedy. It is drama made life.

"An incomplete tragedy is a comedy, and an incomplete comedy is a tragedy! Unlock the rivers of your soul, author! Flood this tale with your spirit and show us the vision of your tragedy! Show us an utter tragedy. Let us see what tale the machines of your mind have crafted!"

_Shakespeare fades into the background, his laughter becoming one with the incessant clockwork._

**The Short Version:**

I've been extremely busy this semester. So much so I wasn't able to work on my beloved story at all! But now that it's over I have a few weeks to devote my creative energies to it and give you an even better story than before! **  
**

**The story so far:**

It's been ten years since the momentous events of _Shooting Star_. Sam, Alex, and Clover have since turned in their WOOHP badges and gadgets to take a chance at leading normal lives and holding normal careers. However, a chance encounter between Sam and Jacob sends Sam's assignment horrifically awry, casting herself and her lifelong friends back into the world of espionage and intrigue. Jacob has apparently turned against them and gathered a powerful team of warriors known as the Wolfpack to help him accomplish his mysterious goals. In addition, the genetically enhanced clones from _Counterparts _have returned, though Jacob's plans for them are as yet unknown. After an encounter with one of his "Wolves," the girls decided to return to WOOHP, and after two months' training were given an unexpected test when a villain named Nightmare attacked WOOHP and freed Tim Scam and Geraldine. His voice causes the girls to experience their worst nightmares, leaving them helpless and passed-out from terror.

Thus our story resumes.

**Part Three: Sin**

**Chapter Twenty**

Before she awoke, Sam's nightmare returned.

This time she could see everything clearly. The dark haze and Nightmare's contemptuous voice were gone. This time, however, Sam was less afraid and more curious. Her analytical mind wanted a better picture of her vision in order to interpret it properly.

Again she found herself in a ruined and burning cityscape. She found it was not night as she originally thought, but dusk. The setting sun stained the sky red on one side, while the flames and smoke burned it red on the other. She breathed and inhaled the smell of ash and crushed concrete. She looked forward and found herself facing down a street that dead-ended farther down in shadow. She strained her ears, expecting to hear the sounds of battle and strife, but apparently the fighting had long ended here. Or perhaps there wasn't a fight at all. All was silent except for the faint roar of fires on the next street over and the crows cawing overhead.

Sam took a deep breath of ashen air and walked down the street. She saw many familiar buildings and confirmed that her vision had taken place in Beverly Hills. She couldn't remember walking down the road last time, but thought nothing of it as she approached the dead end, drawn to it by an irresistible force. The buildings on either side of her were ruined. Most of them had no windows left, and some were gutted by explosion or fire. The streetlights stood cold and dark in the deepening evening as Sam walked down the street. She didn't feel angry, frightened, sad, or even a little nervous. In fact, she felt perfectly calm amidst this devastation. She almost felt that this is what she wanted. Whatever was drawing her down the road was something she wanted to see.

The road ended in a mountain of broken concrete and steel. Fire burned on the other side of it, casting the mountain into shadow backed by flickering redness. She stopped at the foot of the mountain and looked up. A figure she knew to be Jacob stood atop the mountain, surveying the devastation with apparent satisfaction. Sam looked closer this time and saw his expression mixed with remorse. It was the same look he gave her in Korea just before he threw her off that bridge. It was as if he knew what he was doing, didn't like it, but had no choice but to do it. She heard a pack of dogs baying in the distance, and Jacob's eyes softened with concern as he looked in that direction. She heard herself call out to him and he looked down at her and smiled. He slowly descended the mountain as if he were a giant. His footsteps threw up dust and sparks as he descended, and the ground shuddered as if it dreaded his approach. His long coat billowed in a nonexistent wind as he descended to Sam, and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He looked at her like a weary laborer finally in sight of his home, and Sam saw herself extend her hand to him as he neared. He stepped off the mountain and he transformed from an awful giant to a humble man. He looked weak and weary as he took her hand in his, and then sank to his knees. Sam could tell she was about to do something, but the dream ended there.

Sam was the second to wake up. Clover had been up for a couple of hours, but Alex was still out cold. Clover was beside the bed reading an entertainment magazine when Sam's eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning Sammie! I hope you got a good night's sleep."

"Huhn? Where are we?"

"The infirmary. We all passed out."

For a moment it was all hazy, but her recollection of their encounter with Nightmare quickly returned. "That's right, now I remember." She propped herself up and paused while the blood rushed from her head. "Ugh, how long have I been out?"

"Since yesterday. Whatever that creep did to us he did it good."

"No kidding." Sam looked at Alex. Her monitor beeped rhythmically and her chest rose and fell calmly. "Is she okay?"

"I'm not sure. I couldn't understand a word the doctor was saying after I woke up a couple of hours ago. But I think she's fine."

"I see."

Clover folded the magazine up. "Hey, want some coffee?"

"Like bread from heaven."

Clover poured her a cup and added sugar.

"It tastes awful, but it's hot and it has caffeine."

Sam accepted the cup, "Thanks." It did taste awful, but it was hot and drove away the coldness in the pit of her stomach. "What happened after we passed out? Did those intruders get away?

Clover nodded. "Yeah. A few of them were captured, but their leader, Scam, Geraldine and most of the rest got away."

"Oh." Sam took another sip. "Well that's just great. Two of WOOHP's biggest haters are on the lam again."

"Tell me about it. Henry says we're going after them as soon as everyone's better."

"We?"

Clover blushed. "Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that."

"Say what?" Sam's eyes widened as her mind connected Clover's dots. "Have we been reinstated?"

"I'm, uh, I…plead the fifth?"

Sam's face lit up with excitement. "Clover! You're hiding something, now tell me! Are we reinstated or not?"

"But…but…but…Oh look, there's Henry! Hi Benny!"

Henry was rounding the corner and paused. "Benny?"

"Look, Sam's awake!"

"I see that. Good morning, Sam. How do you feel?"

"Tired, but otherwise okay."

"Good. I see Alex is still out of it."

"Yeah." An uncomfortable silence passed while Sam worked up the nerve to ask Henry a question, but Clover beat her to it.

"Benny, what happened back there?"

"First off, I do wish you'd stop calling me that."

"Okay, Benny!"

Henry sighed and continued. "The man you encountered is named Nightmare."

"We figured that much out."

Henry opened his wallet and projected a hologram of a strapping young gentleman. "He was born in Britain and was involved in a number of secret operations in Her Majesty's service before vanishing and resurfacing as a mercenary for a few years until he joined with a group known as Atlas."

"Atlas?"

"Yes. Think of it as the Wolfpack only much bigger and less idealistic. Atlas has existed for around two hundred years and was the sworn enemy of the Wolfpack back when Jacob's grandfather started it. However, Atlas proved to be the weaker and was believed destroyed a few years ago with Nightmare's apparent death at Jacob's hands."

"Wait, Jacob killed him?"

Henry closed his wallet. "So we thought. As it turns out, Nightmare lived, but was brutally disfigured. Our sources tell us he's had reconstructive surgery, so we don't know what he looks like anymore."

"I guess we'll be seeing more of him anyway," said Sam.

"Most likely. I'm sure they recruited Tim Scam and Geraldine for a reason. Those two know more about WHOOP than most any criminal we've detained, and their criminal brilliance makes them perfect recruits."

"So why didn't Jacob take them if he wants to destroy WOOHP, too?" asked Clover.

Henry rubbed his temple. "I don't know. I have a feeling that the Wolfpack's ambitions stretch far beyond WOOHP."

"Beyond WOOHP? That's a big bite for one person."

"We're dealing with a very large and very mean wolf, Clover. Don't underestimate him or his accomplices."

"No arguments here. I've seen what he can do."

"Indeed. I'll let you three get some rest. And by the way, I'm afraid I'll have to inform your significant others unless you have a particularly good lie up your sleeves."

Sam waved him off. "Clover and I can handle it, but I'm not sure what Alex is going to do about Mark."

At that instant, Alex shot up in bed as if she'd been alert all day. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates and her gasp very nearly sucked the air out of the room.

"Oh my God! Mark! He's going to kill me! Or at the very least get a divorce!"

Henry jumped at her exclamation and Clover jumped into Sam's arms. Then Henry started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Alex demanded with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"He already knew."

"He…he what?"

"Alex, your husband is a high-level intelligence officer in the Air Force. He is well aware of WOOHP's operations and the fact that you've joined again. Believe me, he can keep a secret."

Alex blushed furiously while Sam and Clover relaxed.

"You mean I've been keeping this from him for nothing?"

"Truthfully, he knew of your past involvement with this organization, but your reactivation was news to him, though he told me he suspected something was up."

Alex hung her head and sighed. "Well, that's a relief. I guess."

"Well I'm glad that's settled. Take it easy, ladies. If you have any relapses from Nightmare's Terror Call, don't hesitate to call for assistance."

The girls nodded and Henry left the room. But instead of relaxing, the girls began discussing new plans.

"Why do I get the feeling Henry's hiding something?" asked Clover.

"You too?" asked Sam.

"Yeah."

"It's probably because he doesn't know us that well," Alex suggested.

"Maybe. But I think there are some things we ought to know about all this."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but I think some pieces of the puzzle are missing. Some really important ones."

"So what do we do?" asked Clover. "Go find Jerry?"

A light turned on in Sam's head. "Why not? We're still super-spies. We should be able to go anywhere we want, right?"

"I dunno," said Alex. "Henry probably needs us ready for anything now that we've got all those creeps running around. Do you think he'll even let us use a plane or something?"

"Who said he has to let us?" asked Clover with a wink.

"Yeah, we'll just borrow a jet boat and return it real nice when we get back," said Sam with another wink.

Alex tilted her head in thought for a moment. "Yeah, it is just borrowing. What does it matter as long as we return it when we're done, right?"

"Right! So once you're ready, we'll head down and borrow a boat for a day or two."

"Mmh! I think I'm ready, actually." Alex turned and slid off the bed and stood to her feet. She paused for a moment while the blood rushed from her head, but was stable as ever once she regained equilibrium.

"I take it you're ready, then?" asked Clover.

"Yep!" piped Alex. "Let's go visit Jerry!"

At that moment, a closet opened and three mechanical tentacles reached out and yanked the girls in.

"Right after we see what Henry wants!" cried Alex as they were hurled headlong down the tunnel. When they landed in a most haphazard fashion in the office, Henry looked extremely grave.

"Ugh, what's up, Henry?" asked Sam as she disentangled herself from the others.

"I'm sorry I have to call on you so soon, but this is urgent." The screen behind him lit up to show a heavily guarded research facility that was now under attack. Gunfire lit the view with tiny yellow pinpricks of light, and smoke rose from several places within the facility.

"What you are looking at is real-time footage of one of WOOHP's off-site research facilities in Oregon. Not fifteen minutes ago it came under attack by unknown forces, but initial reports lead us to indicate Atlas may be behind the attack."

The girls immediately sat at attention.

"Is Nightmare leading the attack?" asked Sam.

"If he is, he hasn't used his powers yet. The security staff is holding their ground for now, but I don't think they can hold out much longer against hardened soldiers like these. Your mission is to reinforce the security and stop the attackers."

"What are they after?" asked Alex.

"Something in the labs, most likely. This facility is mainly used for storage, and I honestly have no idea what they're after."

"We'll be there in a flash, Benny," said Clover.

"Clover, would you please stop calling me Benny?"

"Okay, Benny!"

Henry grumbled and pressed a button on his console. A trio of backpacks appeared on the desk and Henry rose to dole out the gadgets.

"For this mission you'll be taking M-Ray contact lenses, laser nail files, anti-gravity hover boards, and smokescreen mascara. Any questions?"

"Got a light?" asked Clover.

"A what?"

"A lighter. I'm going to need a smoke before we dive into this."

Henry frowned at Clover. "There should be one in the jet. Now get going you three."

The panel the girls stood on sank into the floor, and the girls braced to be launched into the ceiling chute. Instead, the panel gave way and dropped them into the tunnels with a startled yelp.

"Never hurts to keep them guessing," said Henry with a satisfied grin.

* * *

Far below, flashes of gunfire peppered the otherwise dark facility like firecrackers as the jet flew over it. The forests surrounding the top-secret area were covered in rolling pitch black darkness that stretched for miles in every direction.

"There it is!" said Sam as she leaned out of the hatch. The cold night air stung her ears and cheeks, but she ignored it as she peered at the battle below through a pair of binoculars. She leaned back in and tossed the binoculars aside. "I can't make out much of what's going on, but it looks pretty bad."

"What's the plan?" asked Clover.

"The attackers have the front entrance pretty well secured, but I think if we go in from the north we can catch them by surprise."

Alex looked out the hatch. "Which way is north?"

Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. "Just follow my lead."

She grabbed her hover board and leaped out of the hatch without a second thought. Alex and Clover followed close behind with their boards tucked under their arms. The battle raged below them as they plummeted through the night toward the endless darkness below. Sam counted the seconds, mentally keeping track of their descent and the distance they had to the treetops. When the moment came where she could wait no longer, she placed her feet on the hover board and activated it. Alex and Clover followed suit and their descent slowed to a crawl and within seconds they drifted easily into the trees and sank below the branches. As soon as they were clear of the branches, they powered up their boards and skimmed among the tall hardwoods toward the sounds of battle. A flash of light briefly illuminated the forest and set the facility in silhouette and was followed moments later by a loud report.

"Things are getting serious in there," Clover commented.

"Just means more fun for us," answered Alex.

Soon they cleared the forest and skimmed across the clearing surrounding the facility at breakneck speeds. They aimed for a hole in the wall at ground level and crouched low to their boards as the attackers noticed their presence and honeycombed the air around the girls with laser fire. Their reactions were too slow, however, and the girls sped across the ground unharmed. At the breach in the facility wall they encountered a group of Atlas agents who were entrenched against the guards inside. The attackers had a half second to look back and see what their comrades were yelling about when the girls' boards clobbered them. They rode in to the applause of the security agents, and the girls dismounted and ran to the Lieutenant.

"We're from WOOHP," began Sam. "What's the situation?"

"Not quite sure, ma'am. Head to the control room. The captain will fill you in."

"Thanks!" piped Sam.

The girls dashed away from the battle and ran down the twisting corridors until they found the control room. Inside, an old man was cursing furiously and barking orders at dozens of screens and following up his orders with more cursing. He was in the middle of cursing the attacker's dogs when he saw the girls enter.

"Who are you?"

"We're from WOOHP."

"Reinforcements? Good, come here."

The girls walked down to his control panel and he directed their attention to a screen displaying an overview of the facility.

"The main force is centered here," he said, indicating the front entrance. "I think they're after the central vault, judging by the fact that their forces are concentrated there."

"How are you holding up?" asked Sam.

"We're holding, but not well. We're losing ground every minute. I'm not sure when they'll breach the central vault, but-"

A loud alarm interrupted him, followed by a technician's shouts.

"Captain! Something's disabling the central vault's security field!"  
"What?"  
"An unknown source is disabling our security systems. The way to the vault is almost wide open and our early warning systems are going down like flies!"

The captain swore bitterly. "That can't be right! WOOHP's security systems are the best in the world!"

"Well whoever's doing this is better!" said Clover.

Alex had been staring at the screens the whole time, trying to piece together what was going on in the chaotic attack when she let out a squeal. "Look! On that monitor!"

The captain looked at the monitor she indicated and displayed it on the big screen.

"What the…?"

The screen now displayed a shot of the front entrance. Unmarked helicopters were descending and disgorging more soldiers, who began attacking both the Atlas and WOOHP forces.

"Captain!" shouted the technician from before. "The whole system's being hijacked!"

"Pull the plug now!"

Almost as soon as he said that, every single screen in the room went blank for a moment, and then a blue spider appeared, accompanied by a caption that read "Not so fast, comrade."

The captain shook his head and turned to the girls.

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm pretty sure all these guys are after the central vault."

"We're on it," said Sam. "But, what's in the central vault?"

The captain sighed. "I can't tell you, but you have to protect it."

Sam scrutinized the elderly captain. His distracted eyes told her he was hiding something major in that vault, but he was under strict orders not to reveal the contents. Sam wanted to know what was so important in the vault, but thought better about pressing the issue.

"Alright, we'll take care of it."

Sam's eyes were deeply troubled as they left the control room. She stopped when they were a few paces outside the door and huffed.

"What is he hiding that's so secret? It might help if we knew what we were protecting."

"Yeah, no kidding," said Alex. "I hope it's as important as he's acting like it is."

"Seriously," said Clover. "I'm not risking my life for another one of Jerry's keepsakes."

Sam sighed and giggled. "And if we were, would we have any choice?"

Clover shrugged. "I guess not. So what are we waiting for? Let's go save Jerry's piece of crap!"

* * *

Outside, the last helicopter descended and disgorged its passengers. Wild Bill and Viktor jumped out last and hurried to the scene. Viktor carried a machine gun in his arms and an armored pack on his back, while Wild Bill carried a revolver in each hand while shouting orders to the others.

"Secure the area! Put down all resistance with extreme prejudice and secure the path to the vault!"

Wild Bill and Viktor strode calmly to the main entrance, heedless of the boiling chaos around them. Wild Bill was dressed in his trademark attire, consisting of his wide-brimmed hat, long coat, boots, and bandolier. Viktor was dressed in more contemporary fashion, being clad in black battle dress, combat boots, Kevlar vest, and gloves. Bill raised his left revolver and picked off a careless Atlas soldier who strayed into the open as they neared the front door. An explosion went off behind them, causing the two men to hurry under the entrance and press themselves into it for cover. Bill quickly scanned the scene and spotted the sniper with the grenade launcher on the roof. He aimed his right revolver and felled him in one shot.

Viktor tried the doors, but found them locked. He pressed his fingers to his temple and spoke into his collar.

"Arachne, the doors are locked."

"They must have locked them from inside," said Arachne over the radio. "Hang on a sec…there."

The doors slid open with a whoosh, revealing a cluster of very surprised Atlas soldiers. Viktor gunned them all down in a spray of machine gun fire before they had a chance to react to this sudden turn of events. When the slaughter was over, Wild Bill looked down and examined one of their laser rifles with the toe of his boot.

"Non-lethal weapons," he spat. "What a waste. Contradicts the very nature of war."

Victor checked his weapon. "I guess they weren't expecting a war."

"Better hurry guys," Arachne warned over their radios. "They're about to breach the central vault."

Viktor checked his weapon and Wild Bill exchanged the empty shells for fresh bullets. They stood still and looked down the corridor in quiet contemplation.

"Go," said Bill.

The two men dashed down the hallway to the rising tempo of battle.

* * *

Thanks to the security breaches, the girls had an easy time navigating the labyrinthine facility and finding their way to the central vault entrance. The scene they found caused no small amount of concern between the three of them. The outer and inner doors stood wide open, and the vault appeared empty.

"Are we too late?" asked Clover.

Sam walked inside the vault and looked around. The walls and ceilings were covered in heavy armor plating, and the floor was a solid mass of steel. Aside from the door and the lights, the only outstanding features in the vault was a single pedestal in the center of the floor and a few heavily armored lockers spaced evenly throughout the room. Sam's gaze was drawn to the pedestal. She approached it and studied it from a few steps away. It was cylindrical in shape, divided in two across the middle and into quarters at the top like an unopened flower. A small control pad was the pedestal's only adornment.

"What is it?" asked Alex.

Sam hesitated. "I don't know. Let me check."

She opened her X-Powder and scanned the mysterious device. However, instead of getting a readout, the screen flashed a yellow "CLASSIFIED" warning and went back to the main menu.

"I guess this is the thing they don't want us knowing about."

Clover heard the sounds of many footsteps coming from down the hall and gasped.

"Someone's coming!"

"Quick," said Sam as she prepared her bungee belt. "Follow me."

The girls fired their belts at the ceiling and climbed up just as a squad of Atlas soldiers entered the room. As if they knew exactly what they were doing, they spread out around the room in an orderly fashion and took up a defensive position around the pedestal. One of them produced an electronics kit from his satchel and began working on the control pad.

Sam studied the scene carefully from her vantage point. _What are they after? What's inside that thing?_ Her answers would have to wait, however, because at that moment a loud explosion sounded from just outside the vault door and a cloud of dense smoke poured into the room. The Atlas soldiers scattered and took cover in the room as gunshots burst from the smoke cloud and the two nearest soldiers, still stunned from the sudden calamity, dropped dead.

Alex stifled a gasp at the sight of the two dead men, and Clover pursed her lips and looked on. The Atlas soldiers returned fire now, perforating the rolling cloud with laser fire for three solid minutes before their leader ordered them to cease firing. The room stood completely still. The girls could hear the soldiers breathing heavily, and see their minds were totally focused on the door. The cloud began dissipating, and the soldiers braced themselves for another fight. The smoke cleared, their fingers tensed around their triggers, the girls steeled themselves for another show of violence, and the vault entrance proved empty.

The soldiers aimed their weapons at the entrance for an anxiously long minute. The vault stood completely silent except for the hum of electric lights and air conditioning. The girls heard one of them whisper, "did we get them?" and all Hell broke loose.

In the confusion of smoke and laser fire, Wild Bill had flanked the soldiers and now took the liberty to decimate them with savage efficiency. Every shot was a kill, and every time a soldier tried to run to cover Wild Bill's bullets found a home in his heart. The few that managed to return fire found themselves in such a panic they couldn't hit much more than the wall behind Wild Bill, and soon found a bullet in their heads. When all was said and done, there was one Atlas soldier left, and one bullet in Wild Bill's right-hand gun.

The girls watched from above, awestruck at the carnage a single man unleashed on the hardened warriors below. There was still one soldier left, hiding behind one of the armored lockers tangent to Wild Bill's position. But Wild Bill didn't reload. Instead, he raised his right-hand gun and aimed it at the wall. He fired and the shot banked off the wall and struck the soldier square in the chest and he collapsed lifeless as a puppet with no master.

The girls still didn't move. They really weren't in any mood to mess with this guy. The last shot still echoed in the metal vault when Viktor entered with his machine gun resting on one shoulder.

"Geez, man. I guess I lose the bet, then?"

Wild Bill calmly reloaded his guns and put them away. "It would seem that way," he said with a smile. "Now let's get cracking. I'm not sure how long we'll have the element of surprise on our side."

"Gotcha." Viktor approached the pedestal and set his armored case on the floor. He pulled a data stick from one of his pockets and plugged it into the console on the pedestal.

"Okay, all yours."

"Who's he talking to?" whispered Clover.

"Shhh!" hissed Sam.

Everyone in the room was completely silent, especially the dead soldiers, while Viktor watched the console intently. A couple of minutes passed, and a single high-pitched beep filled the room like a flood and the display turned green.

"It's done," said Viktor as he stood up.

Wild Bill approached the pedestal and the girls craned their necks for a better look. The top half of the pedestal split into quarters lengthwise and spread apart with a hiss and a spill of sublimating gas. When the petals spread roughly twice the diameter of the pedestal, a piston rose from the fog and a beaker containing a red substance rose from the piston.

"Is this it?" asked Viktor.

Wild Bill's face lit up with pleasure. "Yes, that's it. The first, well, second sample."

"Second?"

"I'll explain later. Just grab it."

Viktor nodded and opened the armored case. It too was filled with refrigerants that hissed and escaped as a mist when he opened the case. He carefully removed the beaker and laid it in the case, and then closed the case and locked it before slinging it on his back.

"Let's go."

Wild Bill nodded and the two of them left the vault. The girls let themselves down when their footsteps died away and followed them out of the vault.

"What do you suppose that was?" asked Alex.

"I don't know," said Sam, "but if those guys want it, it can't be good."

"If it's not good then why is WOOHP keeping it here?"

"What's why it was in the vault in the first place!" said Clover as she hopped over an unconscious WOOHP agent.

"What are they going to do with it?"

"I think it's best we not find out," said Sam as they burst through the front door and into the courtyard. It was mostly calm now, being under the control of the Wolfpack forces. However, helicopters were now carrying them away, and the sounds of battle were growing closer as the Wolfpack's numbers dwindled. Wild Bill and Viktor stood in the middle of the courtyard awaiting a helicopter when the girls approached them.

"Hold it right there!" shouted Sam as another helicopter flew overhead.

Wild Bill turned slowly and looked at them in surprise, while Viktor spun about instantaneously and leveled his machine gun at them and the girls braced for a fight. Unexpectedly, Wild Bill placed his hand on Viktor's gun and lowered the barrel.

"Patience, Blood Wolf. He wants them alive, remember?"

Viktor eyed Wild Bill for a moment and relaxed. "Right, forgot."

"Hand over the case and turn yourselves in, or we'll be forced to hurt you!" Sam shouted.

"Isn't it usually 'hand over the case and we'll let you go free?'" said Wild Bill derisively.

"Not for criminals like you," said Clover.

"Criminal? My dear, I am a lawman. I've done a lot of things, but enforcing the law will always be my chief calling."

"Doesn't matter. We're not letting you walk away from this," said Alex.

"You have no choice but to let me walk away," said Bill. "There are things at stake far beyond your reckoning."

"I'm afraid we can't do that," said Sam.

The two parties faced each other for a few anxious moments. The wind whistled with the sounds of helicopter engines and the sounds of battle grew ever closer. Finally, Wild Bill smiled a smile that sent chills down the girls' spines.

"Very well. It seems the most valuable treasures must always be fought for." He motioned to Viktor, who handed him the armored case. Bill took a few steps forward and set it on the ground. "Then let's make this a duel. Whoever wins gets the case. Whoever loses, well, you know the drill."

"Three against two," remarked Clover. "Seems awful unfair."

Bill scratched his moustache. "You're right. Viktor, get in the chopper."

"What?" said the startled youth.

"You heard her. The three of them is so unfair against the two of us. I'd like to even the odds a little."

The girls and Viktor stared at him in disbelief, and Viktor resignedly retreated through the front gate.

Sam laughed confidently. "Are you sure about that? I mean we're not exactly pushovers."

"I know who you are," growled Bill. "But you have no idea who you're dealing with." He slid one foot back and threw his coat back to expose one of his pistols. His hand reached back and hovered over the ivory-inlaid handle like an eagle's claw. The girls tensed themselves for the ensuing battle. The courtyard grew silent as a cemetery while the stars eagerly awaited the outcome. The earth paused to watch.

"Draw!"

Before the girls could blink, Wild Bill drew his pistol and a crack of thunder preceded a whistling noise beside Sam's ear. She felt it brush her hair before she even saw him draw his weapon. When her mind finally caught up to the bullet, she somersaulted away just as Bill fired a second shot that whistled between her legs. The girls scattered and leaped toward cover with Bill's bullets peppering the air and ground around them. Alex cartwheeled behind an abandoned truck just as a bullet struck the ground a hair's breadth from her fingers. She yelped in surprise as her finger stung from the near-hit and shook her hand.

"Ow, that hurt!"

Wild Bill laughed. "These aren't foam bullets I'm using, girl. I only fight with the real thing."

"You're not very nice!"

"I can't afford to be."

He fired two more shots at a retreating Clover before she vanished behind cover. The girls caught their breaths and heard the sound of bullet casings falling to the ground.

"That was very good," they heard him say. "You're fast, very fast. Usually the fight is over by now. I'm very impressed with you three."

Sam swallowed. "Yeah? Just wait until we hit our stride, then you're toast!"

"I look forward to it. It's been many years since I've had a good fight. Too many, really. But I'm afraid the time for playing around is over. I'm using both guns this time."

The girls felt their hearts sink.

"You might want to move, though. I excel at bank shots."

Having seen his display in the vault, the girls took his word for it. They darted from their positions under a hail of gunfire, leaping and rolling and dodging however they could from Bill's lethal assault. Sam gasped as a bullet grazed her leg and ripped a hole in her spysuit. Alex felt a bullet pass through the air where her head should have been a moment ago. Clover stumbled and saw a bullet hit the ground where her head was about to be.

Sam counted his bullets and ran at him after ten shots, barely dodging the next two and leaping at Bill with a gravity-defying lunge. The wily gunfighter calmly raised his second gun at Sam and pulled the trigger, only to hear it click harmlessly.

"Damn."

He rolled away from Sam's attack and retreated while reloading his gun. "You're doing well, ladies. I see Jacob's faith in you is not misplaced."

"Tell it to the judge!" piped Alex.

"There is no judge for the likes of me. There is only the gallows!"

His guns barked again and put the girls to flight. They attempted to flank him repeatedly, but the wily gunfighter always saw them coming and changed his position accordingly.

"You can't win," he told them. "I've been in countless duels in my long life, and I've won every single one of them."

"First time for everything!" shouted Sam while taking cover.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

Many tense minutes later, all of them were exhausted. Bill because he was an old man, and the girls because adrenalin was surging through their veins after dodging death so many times. Blood slowly seeped down Clover's neck where a bullet had grazed her, and Sam's hair was a complete mess. The armored case still stood in the middle of the courtyard like a prize waiting to be taken. Bill's guns were hot in his hands while he reloaded them with shaking hands.

"Who are you?" asked Sam. "Tell us the truth."

A laugh coiled through Wild Bill's smile.

"You want the truth? Fine then, since I know we'll be seeing more of each other I think it might be best if you know the real score." He reloaded one of his guns and began spinning it on his finger nonchalantly. "I am Wild Bill, also known as the Bullet Wolf, founding member of the Wolfpack. I have seen action in almost every major conflict this century since World War One."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "World War One? I find that hard to believe. You'd be over a hundred years old if you fought in the Great War."

"A hundred and sixty-eight years, to be exact."

"What? Okay, now you're just insane."

Wild Bill laughed again and took a few easy steps forward, still playing with his gun. "My full name, as given to me by my parents in Illinois, is James Butler Hickock. You'd know me better as "Wild Bill" Hickock, Sheriff of Hays City, Kansas and the greatest gunfighter the West ever knew!"

The girls involuntarily backed a step away. "That…that's impossible," said Sam.

"Y-yeah, stop joking with us, man," said Alex.

"I never joke around when I fight," said Bill "I either kill the man or he kills me, much like I had everyone in Deadwood think that punk did way back when."

"But, if you're really the Wild Bill Hickock," said Clover, "then how are you still alive? And can I get the name of your spa, because you are really well-preserved for your age."

Wild Bill stopped playing with his gun. "I'm afraid that is a secret I'll have to keep. Now then, I do believe we have a duel to finish."

Before the girls could react, he already had Sam lined up in his sights. Sam covered her face and dove away as bullets ripped at the air around her and ricocheted off the wall behind her. He emptied his gun at Sam and retreated to reload, only to find his bandolier empty.

"Damn."

He checked his other gun: six bullets, two for each girl. He took a deep breath and raised his weapon, only to have a mascara smoke grenade explode at his feet.

"Got him!" exclaimed Alex.

Wild Bill Hickock choked on the thick smoke and the noxious fumes burned his eyes. He stumbled out of the cloud like a drunken man and found a very angry Clover standing before him. She still held one hand over her wound, and the blood was still running.

"Just so you know, if I have to get stitches, I'm suing your ass."

With one kick she disarmed him, with another to the stomach she doubled him over, and with a strong throw she tossed him to the ground. "Unbeatable my ass."

Wild Bill wheezed and coughed on the ground. His wheezing soon gave way to laughter as he sat up.

"I guess my time has come. Congratulations, you've beaten a living legend."

Sam approached him and grabbed his collar, bringing his face close to hers. "What did you want the sample for?"

"I won't tell you, but rest assured that you won't want the answer."

"I'm sorry, was I speaking Greek?" She shook him roughly. "I said tell me what you wanted that thing for. And furthermore, what is it?"

"If you're trying to threaten me, you'll have to do better than that. I've seen all the horrors mankind has to offer in my long life. This is child's play."

"I'm a woman now, you know. I think I can do better if I have to."

Wild Bill sneered. "You think? Thinking will get you nowhere in the coming days, my dear. You'll have to know."

"Know what?"

"Know who your enemy is, and more importantly, who you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Clover.

"It means that if you are incapable of doing what will be necessary, you are doomed."

Sam was about to press the issue further, but at that moment another helicopter swung in so low the wind nearly knocked them all over. Sam barely heard Wild Bill cursing the aircraft over the noise and saw a figure jump out of the helicopter and land like a lead weight near the old man. It was Jacob.

The helicopter climbed a hundred feet and hovered over the battleground.

Wild Bill held his hat to his head. "Jacob, what are you-"

"I though you might need some help."

Wild Bill spat. "Hardly. I was in a fair duel. I didn't count on running out of bullets so early."

"Which is exactly why I came. Securing the sample is our top priority. And I do believe I told you to keep them alive?"

"That's why they're still alive in the first place!"

"You held back?"

"Yes!"

Jacob shook his finger. "Tut-tut, you know better than to hold back."

"Hey, what about us?" yelled Sam. "We're still here, you know."

Jacob looked up at Sam and his smile faded. "Oh, right. You." He calmly approached her and stopped twenty paces away. "So what are you doing here? Finished your training?"

"Yeah. And we're ready to stop you."

Jacob looked her over. "Hardly. You're not ready to take me on. Or the rest of the Wolfpack for that matter."

"We can see about that!" Sam settled into a fighting stance, but Jacob just laughed.

"You're so cute, thinking you can take me on all by yourself. But the truth is, you're not ready at all."

"What makes you say that?" asked Clover.

"First off, because unlike you I know my true strength. And second, we have important business to discuss. Believe it or not, we have a common enemy right now. I worked hard to destroy Atlas all those years ago, and right now they're trying to interfere with plans I've had in the works since childhood."

"So what do we do about you?" asked Alex. "We won't forgive you for what you've done."

"I don't expect you to. However, what I will ask is that we call a temporary truce. Help me destroy Atlas first, and then we can continue our fight."

The girls stared at Jacob uncertainly. Was he bluffing?

"And what about your plans?" asked Sam. "We know you have something bad planned."

"From your point of view, it is bad. But Atlas may prove to be a greater threat if allowed to persist for too long. I can suspend my plans long enough to deal with them once and for all, but I'll need your help."

"Why?"

"As you know, they've enlisted the help of two of your old nemesis. You know how to deal with them better than I do. I can destroy their infrastructure and leadership, but Geraldine and Tim Scam are two powerful foes I have no time for dealing with. I need you to take them down for me, while I destroy Atlas itself."

Another long silence passed between them. The helicopter hovered overhead, while Wild Bill nursed his wounds.

"What about the sample?" asked Sam.

"The sample? We're taking it. I still need it."

"We can't let that happen."

"So you still want to commit suicide?"

"If that's what it takes."

Jacob sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but I really don't have time for you."

He snapped his fingers and something big and black fell from the helicopter. It stood up to a full height of about seven feet, and the girls gasped in shock.

There was no mistaking it; it was one of the Nemesis clones. Her body was covered in gleaming black armor, and she bore weapons similar to the ones from ten years ago. She growled angrily at the girls and tensed her muscles to perform one of their signature lunges.

Sam was horror-struck. "You…you…you have one of them?"

"Yes, actually. She was a pain to acquire, but I think she'll be worth the effort."

Sam's sense of self-preservation disappeared in her curiosity and she stormed up close to Jacob. "What about the other clones?"

"The other clones? Oh, you mean the Athena strains?"

"Yes."

Jacob didn't say anything, but the smirk that crossed his face told Sam everything she needed to know.

"You didn't…"

"We have. And they're almost ready for service. We're just waiting for Sam to recover from her long sleep. Now if you'll excuse me."

Jacob turned to retrieve the case, and Sam jumped in his path. Tears were in her eyes.

"I don't believe you!"

"What? Sam, get out of the way before I hurt you."

"I just can't accept that you're doing this! You fought for every good thing back then! Why are you doing this?"

"I told you, that was a lie!"

"I don't believe it! You're not that kind of person!"

"How do you know?"

"I just do!"

Jacob was livid. "Get out of my way!"

"No!"

Sam lunged at Jacob, who dodged her attack and faced her. "What are you trying to accomplish?"

Sam faced him again. "What?"

"What are you trying to accomplish, Sam? Are you trying to stop me? You don't even know what I'm up to, do you?"

Sam clenched her teeth in anger. "No, but I know you're up to no good."

"So why are you trying to stop me if you don't even know what you're trying to stop?"

"Because…because I know you're still a good person! There has to be more to this!"

Alex and Clover took the moment Jacob's back was turned to them to launch an assault. They were a mere foot from his backside when a huge black shadow snatched them out of the air and tossed them aside like a pair of rag dolls. They looked up to see the clone standing and snarling over them.

"Don't worry," said Jacob over his shoulder. "She won't kill you. Yet." He returned his attention to Sam. "So what's it going to be? Are you going to help me destroy ATLAS?"

Sam snorted. "Why should we?"

"Because the two people who know most about WHOOP and its methods are now working for them. If we don't eliminate Atlas they might just destroy your beloved organization."

Sam hesitated. "And you?"

"You worry about Atlas. Then I'm all yours."

Sam glared at him darkly. "Fine. We'll do it. But under one condition."

"What's that?"

"Tell me what you're up to."

Jacob smiled appreciatively at her. "I already told you all those months ago. The world is broken, and I'm trying to fix it."

"How?"

"Sorry, I already met the condition." The helicopter descended and dropped a rope ladder. Wild Bill climbed up into the helicopter, and the clone merely jumped into the open door. "I'll see you again, Sam." He took up the sample and climbed onto the ladder. "Don't die on me."

The turbines whined and the helicopter lifted away and sped into the night like a bad dream. Alex and Clover hurried over to Sam, nursing their bruises where the creature threw them to the ground.

"Sam, did you just agree to help him?" asked Clover.

"Yes," answered Sam with a hollow voice.

"Why?"

"Because I think if we work with him for now, we might be able to find out more about what he's doing and stop him."

"A risky, but nonetheless necessary stratagem," said a cultured British accent. The girls looked up and saw Henry approaching with an entourage of WOOHP agents.

"You think so?" said Alex.

"Absolutely. It might be wise to side with the enemy for the time being and observe him. And if the past few nights have been any indication, Atlas is a force to be reckoned with. We may yet have to put Jacob in queue for the time being."

The girls nodded.

"Excellent. Now then, let's head home and plan a strategy."

"Just one thing!" Alex blurted out.

"Yes?"

"The sample: what was it?"

Henry's face noticeably darkened and he sighed resignedly. "I suppose the time for secrets is over." He looked up. "That beaker contained a sample of your genetic information, Clover."

Clover's jaw fell open. "Huh? What on earth is it doing here?"

"It's one of three. You see, we used to keep samples of your genetic information at WOOHP headquarters as a clean example for those incidents when you were physically transformed into something…non-human. After the second clone incident, all three samples were sent to secure facilities operated by WOOHP."

"What would they want with them?" asked Sam. "Is someone trying to clone us again?"

"I don't know. All I do know is that we can't allow the other two samples to fall into the wrong hands."

"So how do we do that?" asked Clover as she lit a cigarette with her laser nail file.

Sam's face lit up in that special way it did whenever she got an idea. Her eyes brightened and her lips curled into a smile. Her whole demeanor, dark and dreary from her encounter with Jacob, changed dramatically as her confidence returned.

"We're going to set a trap."


	22. Chapter TwentyOne

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"Idiot! How could you side with them?" shouted Medusa. But shout was all she did, for she was unwilling to strike her favorite grandson, and the fulcrum of all her ambition. Despite Jacob's superior stature, she towered over him like a giantess ready to crush her foe.

"You need not worry about WOOHP," said Jacob placidly. "We are merely working toward the same ends for the time being."

"For what? Destroying that damned bunch of jackals you failed to exterminate all those years ago? Disgraceful! Your uncle would never have sided with his enemies, and your father would have destroyed them all with his bare hands!"

_I am not my father, or my uncle._ "They may be our enemies, but they are all playing across the palm of our hands."

"Your palm, maybe," she fumed. "But they were never part of my plans, Fenrir."

Jacob lowered his head. "You have my word both as Fenrir and your grandson that they will not disturb your plans."

Medusa's expression softened but remained stern. "What you do with your pack, and those jackals, is your business. I leave it in your hands, Jacob." She started to leave and then faced him again. "By the way, that clone of Lacan's is ready any time you need her."

"Thank you, grandmother."

Medusa turned and left with a flourish. Jacob waited until he heard the heavy oak doors shut before leaving his spot. He sat down heavily in a wingback chair and heaved a sigh. He knew Medusa would be unhappy at this turn of events, but he had no choice. Things were moving far too rapidly to take down Atlas all by himself, even with the Wolfpack's help. They were a powerful force to be sure, but he was the leader they needed, the compass to guide their incredible power, and there were only so many of them. But beneath all his status, experience, and battlefield wisdom, he was only human.

He was exhausted, thirty years overdue for a vacation. For thirty years he'd devoted his life to this singular goal, and what then? He doubted he would get to live past fifty, so that would put the remaining twenty years of his life where? That's not even enough to raise a family on. Who was he kidding about raising a family? He was born to fight and would die fighting. Live or die, he did it alone. In his melancholy, he found his thoughts drifting to Sam and began wondering what would have happened all those years ago if he had taken her hand that last night they were together, when he heard a knock at the door. He looked up and saw Ava standing in the doorway.

"Am I disturbing you?" she asked.

Jacob shook his head. "Not at all. Please come in. Thanks for helping me out on such short notice back there."

Ava pulled up an ottoman near him and sat down with a smile. "My pleasure. I'll use any excuse to take the Dragonfly for a spin."

Jacob considered Ava for a moment. She was a few years older than himself, and her face was beginning to show her age. Her fine blond hair hung down in short locks, terminating just at the base of her neck. Ava took good care of her hair and face, which contrasted with her athletic body. She looked like a fighter, which was why Jacob liked having her on the team. She was so unlike Tatiana, who was petite and feminine. Not to say that Ava wasn't feminine, but her body was hardened by age and combat experience and raw strength.

"Tell me," he said at length, "When it comes down to it, we may very well end up as enemies of your father. How will you deal with that?"

Ava's cheerful demeanor vanished. "I…I'd rather not think of that right now."

"You'll have to soon enough. The plan has already been set in motion and there is no reversing it. I need to know that you will be loyal to me to the end or you will be dismissed from the pack." His voice changed to an unmistakable threat. "And you know what that means."

"Jacob," she said tremblingly, for using Jacob's name now denoted a sense of intimacy among the wolves, "I love my daddy like you wouldn't believe. I don't want to see the betrayal in his face if it happens."

"I'm not asking you to fight him. He's a powerful man, so leave that to one of us. What I'm asking is, can you live with it?"

Ava ran her hands uneasily through her hair under Jacob's gaze. She sat still for a few minutes with her head in her hands. She wasn't showing it much, but Jacob could tell she was restraining sobs.

"If it comes down to it," she said slowly, "I'll live. I love my daddy, but I have a duty to perform, not just for you, but for the whole world."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said confidently. "I know what we're fighting for."

Jacob smiled at her. "Good. Now what did you come in here for?"

"I just wanted to tell you those clones are creepy."

Jacob knew exactly what she meant, but he was curious to get another viewpoint. "Creepy?"

"Yeah. The way they talk to the big one in that arcane language for starters. And their strength is just uncanny. Not to mention they're all frighteningly intelligent. Even the least intelligent one looks like she's trying to disassemble you with her eyes while talking to her. But that's not the worst part."

Jacob shifted to a more thoughtful, comfortable position. "Go on."

Ava sighed. "How do I describe it? It's like they're constantly turned on. No, it's more like they can turn themselves off and on at a moment's notice. They can make a guy flee in terror one moment, and then have him all over them the next. They can simultaneously look like they want to screw a guy and snap his neck. I'm telling you, it's goddamn creepy!"

Jacob knew exactly what she was talking about. He'd personally supervised their training and knew their abilities firsthand. "I see. Just remember that their pheromones don't affect women."

"And what about you?"  
"I can resist. I'm not like other men, you know."

Ava flashed him a cocky smile. "Of course not. You're Fenrir."

"I am, aren't I?"

"So when's the next strike? Are you taking them along?"

"I'm not sure, and I may. Been hearing some nasty rumors about Scam and Geraldine's work. I'll need lots of firepower for the next one."

"I see. Well anytime you need me, I'll have Dragonfly ready and waiting."

"Glad to hear it." Jacob stood up to leave and his stomach gave an audible rumble. He looked at Ava bashfully while she did her best to restrain her laughter. "Want to go grab a sandwich or something?"

* * *

Brad paced the floor of his apartment with his mind in a storm while Sam watched anxiously from the sofa. She twisted her engagement ring around her finger protectively; afraid he'd snatch it off her finger at any moment. He'd been like this for the last hour, pacing and muttering and asking her the same questions over and over again. Her heart was torn inside. She loved him, and thus it hurt her to see him so distraught because of her. She wanted to make him feel better, but she didn't want to do the thing that would. She couldn't. Not yet. This wasn't the first time Brad was in a mood. She'd ride it out just like every other time he got mad at her. Only this time, it was something far more serious than not leaving a message.

"How long have you been back with WOOHP again?" he asked for the third time.

"Two months or so," she responded automatically.

"Two months, eh?" He continued pacing, casting furtive glances at Sam and sighing. "What made you go back?"

Sam huffed. "For the last time, I already told you. It's something from my past, when I was first working for WOOHP."

"Which is?"

"A guy I worked with back then. He's supposedly gone rogue, but I think there's more going on here than just a rogue agent."

"So why couldn't you leave it to WOOHP?"

"Because it was personal. He and I went through a lot of shit together. I don't expect you to understand."

"Oh really? I think-"

"Don't even start!" interrupted Sam. "He never so much as held my hand. It's like…I dunno, like we're war buddies or something."

"War buddies?"

"Yeah."

Brad crossed his arms and stared at his fiancée. Sam had to fight from averting her gaze. It burned her to the core to see him look at her that way. She knew she'd betrayed his trust and felt unfaithful to her fiancée. She squeezed her ring more protectively and sighed.

"Brad, are you mad at me?"

"Yes! What does it look like? I have enough to worry about with the wedding and my job and everything else, and now on top of all that I have to think about you going off and risking your neck to play spy!"

"It's not playing, Brad. This is serious. A very dangerous person is threatening the world and I have to stop him."

"Why you? Why not let WOOHP handle it? Why not leave the spying to them so we can get married and live in peace?"

"Because as long as he's out there we won't have any peace to begin with!" said Sam, raising her voice and nearly rising off the sofa. "You don't understand what he's capable of or what he's done. As long as we're sharing secrets, did you know he set that nuclear weapon off in Korea?"

Brad's jaw fell open. "He what? Why?"

"I still don't know exactly. But now do you see what I'm talking about? This guy will ruin everything if we don't stop him!"

"But why you? Why you, Sam? Why do you have to go?" His voice was softening.

"Like I said, it's personal. I still think he's a good man, and he respects me. I think I can get him to stop. But I have to try first."

Brad walked over and sat down beside Sam. She still felt afraid of him and started to shuffle away when he unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.

"Brad!" she started.

"I'm sorry, Sam. It's just…when I first heard of all this, I suddenly realized I could lose you. I don't want to lose you. You're too important to me."

Sam felt him stifle a sob and wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she cooed as tears began welling in her eyes. "I shouldn't keep secrets from you. But this is something I have to do. I wish I didn't have to, but things just didn't turn out that way." Her breath was shaky and laden with tears. "I'm sorry."

Brad stroked her back. "It's okay. I'm just trying to accept the fact that my fiancée risks her life trying to save the world, that's all. I'm just trying to figure out what to do."

Sam sighed into his neck and kissed his cheek, then turned his face to hers and looked into his eyes. "Let me keep working for WOOHP. I have to get to the bottom of this business or I'll never be at rest." She took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly, then touched her forehead to his so that their lips brushed as she talked. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself out there, and I've got wonderful friends to help me." She punctuated her soliloquy with a lingering kiss. When she broke it, she found herself looking into Brad's loving eyes again.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she answered. "Do you still want to marry me?"

"More than anything."

They kissed in quiet solitude for several minutes. Sam felt her anxieties about being a spy melting away with Brad's touch. She found herself falling more and more in love with him, which she found hard to believe but accepted it anyway. This was the man she wanted to marry, no doubt about that. And maybe, just maybe, have his children as well.

"When is your next mission?" Brad finally asked.

"In a couple of days," she whispered in a husky, needy tone.

"Then we've got time?"

Sam giggled. "Time for what, pray tell?"

Brad smiled and leaned her down on the couch. "Let me show you."

Sam rubbed his chest and rested her hands on his shoulders. "I'm all ears."

"Your ears are probably the least important things you'll need."

Sam drew him in, letting his weight press her into the cushions. "Show me."

* * *

When not planning his next mission, Jacob liked to spend his time keeping his mind and body razor sharp. He would spend hours sparring, lifting weights, and running or swimming to keep his body in shape for the next battle. As he practiced on a punching bag in the gym early one morning, he realized that was all he ever did. His life consisted of battles and training. If he wasn't fighting, he was training for the next one in some form. It made him angry. He hated this life, but had no way out of it. All he ever wanted was to live a normal life, like those businessmen he saw all over the streets of St. Petersburg. He searched his memories and dredged up each wasted year of his life, each year spent preparing for his ultimate battle, the destiny his father had bestowed upon him. He took each year, gathered it into his fists, and slammed it into the bag with all the anger he could muster. The bag's chain rattled with each punch and swung violently with each kick. Every blow was another year Jacob wished he could have back. He poured all thirty years into the canvass bag and stopped. He stared at the bag while catching his breath, staring at the indentations and wondering how many more he'd have to put there before he could live in peace.

"You know," said a female voice from behind him," punching bags are good and all, but they don't behave like the real thing."

Jacob turned around to see Sam's clone staring at him from the doorway. She wore a yellow sports bra and blue workout pants that clung to her body just right. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, except for a couple of locks in front that framed her face magnificently.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly.

"You looked bored, so I decided to stop by and keep you company."

"I'm fine."

"Sure you are." She placed her hands on her hips and wandered into the room. "I can't wait to see action again."

Jacob smiled. "After ten years of sleep? I don't doubt."

She walked over to where he stood and leaned against the wall. "But more than that, I want to see you in action."

Jacob eyed her warily. "Me?"

"Yes. Alex and Clover and Lacan have told me so much about you. I'm curious as to what makes you so great that even the girls could gush about you."

"You'll just have to see for yourself next time. I don't do demonstrations."

He started to leave, but Sam stood in his way. "Does sparring count as a demonstration?"

Jacob hesitated. Of all the clones, he was least comfortable around Sam. "No."

"Then let's spar! I need a decent opponent. Or at least someone besides my sister or the girls."

"Then go find Ava. She's a world-class boxer."

"Boxing? Don't make me laugh!"

"I wouldn't underestimate Ava. You know who her father is, and he taught her everything he knows and then some."

Sam put her foot down and slid into a fighting position. "Just shut up and spar me, okay?"

"Why bother? You're four times my strength."

"And years beyond me in experience. Come on, just one round?"

Jacob sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, if you insist."

Jacob backed away from her and kicked his feet to loosen them and jumped on his toes to warm them up. He then squared up with the clone, standing lightly on his feet with his hands held ready.

"Ladies first."

Jacob barely dodged the punch she threw at him, and had to perform an acrobatic twist to avoid the second one. He was amazed by her speed. She was all over him before he blinked. He barely avoided a powerful leg sweep from the clone that sliced the air beneath him, and then rolled behind her. He kicked the back of her knee, causing her leg to buckle and Sam to lose her balance. He grabbed her arm and threw her over his shoulder, slamming her hard on the mat before backing away.

"You're fast," he commented. "That was almost over before it began."

The clone got up easily to her feet. The force Jacob used would have stunned any woman her size, but she was no ordinary woman.

"I'll say," she said. "My mother was the only one who could dodge me like that."

Without further ado, she charged at Jacob again, assailing him with a flurry of open-hand jabs and chops that sliced and perforated the air. She was hardly expending any energy, but Jacob was pushing himself twice as hard as he would have liked to keep up with her. He knew he didn't stand a chance against her in terms of raw strength, but he had been fighting much longer than her.

He backed out of arm's reach, which forced her to throw a kick to make up the distance. He ducked under it and caught her leg on his shoulder, and leaped at her before she could withdraw it. He placed one hand on her chest and shoved her to the floor while maintaining a grip on her leg. She hit the mat with an audible "oof!" as Jacob nearly fell on top of her. They paused. Jacob's hand was still on her chest and he felt her heartbeat. If it had changed, he couldn't tell. Sam, however, blushed slightly when she noticed the unusual position they were in.

"Getting ideas, wolf-man?"

Jacob's hand slid up her chest and his fingers contracted around her trachea. Despite her immense strength, her throat was soft and fleshy as any woman's.

"Hardly. But I think you're holding back."

She gulped under his tight grip on her throat. "Care for another round?"

"Gladly."

Jacob helped her up and they stepped away from each other. Sam's body went rigid as she tensed herself, while Jacob relaxed every muscle in his body. She looked like a pack of explosives about to detonate, and he a reed ready to bend with the next breeze. He could see the immense power hiding behind her slender form, granted to her by Lacan's manipulation of her physiology. He sniffed the air. He felt no different, so he assumed she wasn't using her pheromones.

Not that it mattered, for in the blink of an eye he felt something hard ram into him and pin him to the mat. When his mind caught up with him, he found Sam leering over him victoriously.

"This is fun," she said. "Most guys are wimps. You're different. You're stronger than all of them." She tilted her head coyly to one side. "I like it."

"Good for you. I get that a lot."

She helped him to his feet and hopped back for another go-round, but Jacob waved her off.

"That's enough. I have a meeting with the pack soon, and I don't want to be bruised up so soon before a mission."

Sam pouted. "Wuss."

Jacob snickered. "See you later, Sam."

She watched him leave until he was out of sight. She rubbed her stomach and felt a strange aching sensation fill her bones that left her feeling weak and needy. She didn't let him know, but she wasn't holding back at all, and he bested her twice. She knew he was truly powerful, and she craved that power and the vessel that held it. She felt an intense desire she'd never felt before in her short life. She swallowed heavily and followed him out of the room.

* * *

Alex had been kind enough to invite Clover over for dinner, but it took Mark's coaxing to invite Mandy along with her. Clover and Mandy showed up promptly at six, bickering with one another the entire time about a client's portfolio they were helping arrange. Alex could hear them arguing outside her door as she reached for the doorknob, and it died down the moment the latch clicked. She found Mandy and Clover smiling innocently and standing side-by-side like old friends. Mandy was still on crutches, though her let was now in a simple brace as opposed to a heavy cast. Alex was relieved to see that Clover's wound was either healed or invisible. It would have been visible in the low-cut cotton blouse that was clearly made for attracting the attention of the opposite sex, much like everything else Clover did.

"Clover! Mandy! So good to see you!" She enthusiastically embraced Clover, and more hesitantly hugged Mandy to keep face.

"Thank you for inviting me!" said Clover. "There's no food at the apartment."

Mandy cleared her throat. "Don't you mean thank you for inviting _us_?"

"That's what I said!"

"No you didn't. I distinctly heard 'I' instead of 'us.'"

Alex sweatdropped and grinned. Some things never change. "Why don't you two make yourselves at home? Coffee? Tea? I can mix up some Margaritas if you like."

"Margarita," they answered simultaneously as they made their way to the living room while Alex hurried to the kitchen. The sooner she got them loosened up the better. She added the Tequila, hesitated, then doubled it before turning the blender on.

Mark rose to receive the guests and help Mandy with her crutches while she made herself comfortable. Clover took a seat opposite Mandy and crossed her legs comfortably.

"So," he said, raising his voice over the whine of the blender, "how is your business going?"

"Oh, the business is swell," said Clover coolly.

"It's the associates that tend to suck," said Mandy.

Mark raised his hands in a peace gesture. "Hey now-"

"Stuff it Mandy, I'm not in the mood," said Clover offhandedly.

Mandy "hmfed!" and crossed her arms. "Fine, be that way."

The blender stopped and Alex entered with the drinks after an uneasy pause in the discourse. "Here you go!" she piped as she handed the drinks to Clover and Mandy. The two antagonists glared at each other over their glasses.

Clover stifled a cough as she swallowed her first mouthful. "Thanks, Alex. It's good and strong."

Mandy calmly swallowed hers. "Yeah, thanks." Alex wondered if she'd have to mix another Margarita.

Alex cast a nervous glance to her husband while Clover and Mandy glared at each other. Someone in WOOHP had mistaken Mandy for one of Clover's relations and let her in on Clover's involvement with WOOHP. Ever since, their simmering rivalry had boiled over and flared into outright hatred and disgust, particularly on Mandy's part. Alex desperately wished Sam was here to help, but she was busy trying to smooth things over with her fiancée. But for now she would have to play the part of the levelheaded mediator. She felt relieved to have Brad's help, but the simple fact that he was a man trying to help mediate a dispute between two women meant Alex had no idea how much help he'd actually be. If he couldn't even understand his own wife, then how could she expect him to understand someone as complicated as Mandy or Clover?

"Um," began Mark in an attempt to break the ice, "how are you two? I hear your business is doing well."

"Fine," they answered curtly between gulps of margarita. Their replies might well have been daggers for the reaction they caused in Alex's gentle husband.

Alex carefully studied the two girls, waiting for any signs of loosening in their behavior. The Margaritas she'd prepared were quite different from the normal variety. No, these were her special "Mark and I want to wake up and wonder what the heck we did" Margaritas. And then she'd doubled the Tequila! She hoped she wouldn't have to make another because she only had enough Tequila left for one more of those. Though now she was curious to try one with Mark, perhaps after Clover and Mandy left.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a snort from Mandy.

"So I hear you're in on it, too?" she asked Alex.

"Uh, yeah. Clover and I are teammates."

"I see. And you?" she asked Mark.

"I've known for a long time, actually. Her reassignment was news to me, but I already knew she was a spy way back when. I just kept it a secret so she wouldn't worry."

"I see. So how does that make you feel?"

"Honestly? How do you think I'd feel that my wife has been keeping a secret that big from me? That she'd been lying and deceiving me while she goes and risks her life against some major psychos while I think she's at work late? Honestly, I felt completely betrayed!"

Alex saw a smirk cross Mandy's face and her blood boiled. How dare she try to turn my husband against me! We've already covered this ground, but she still has no right to incite his feelings against me!"

"So what did you do?" asked Mandy.

"Blew my top, of course. But when I heard she'd been hospitalized, how could I be angry with her?" He took a deep breath. "But when I started studying the situation and what she was involved with, I honestly felt proud of her. I never knew my wife was capable of such heroics! Maybe it's the soldier in me, but I felt that if Alex had the means and will to make a difference in this chaotic world, then I should do everything I can to support her decision."

Alex's heart leaped for joy at his answer, and Mandy's countenance fell. Clover, however, appeared rather detached from the drama.

"Um, Clover?" queried Alex. She gave Clover a gentle nudge, and the blue-eyed blonde fell over like a brick. Alex started at first, and then noticed Clover's Margarita was empty. She picked it up and examined it.

"Holy cow, she drank the whole thing?"

Mark stared in bewilderment. "Dang. I never make it that far."

"Neither does Clover, apparently," snorted Mandy.

"Oh hush. That thing has quadruple the Tequila. You have to be feeling something by now."

"No, not really," said Mandy calmly.

Alex blinked. "That's impossible. Mark's in the freaking Air Force and those things send him for a loop every time!"

"Well, I guess that makes me a freaking Marine." Mandy hiccoughed.

Alex sighed in relief. Mandy wasn't invulnerable, the drink just hadn't hit her system yet. All she needed was a few more minutes.

"So, feeling anything?" asked Alex teasingly.

Mandy hiccoughed again. "No," she said confidently.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Alex! I-" Mandy fell face-forward onto the coffee table. Her head made a resounding "thud" on the hardwood table, but Mandy stirred not. Alex looked up at Mark and smiled. Mark grabbed a roll of duct tape from behind his chair while Alex dragged Clover and Mandy off the furniture.

* * *

Jacob opened his locker and stripped his shirt from his sweat-slick body. He draped a hand towel around his neck and sat down on the bench. He was so weary. He felt like he needed to sleep for a week. But if anything, he'd be getting less sleep than ever in the coming months. Far too many things required exquisite execution and meticulous observation on his part. The whole Atlas business was really getting to him, and he hoped WOOHP would be able to pick up most of the slack.

His sharp ears detected the faint rustle of synthetic fibers and thin-soled sneakers entering the room, but the footfalls were too light for another man. He looked up and saw Sam entering the locker room.

"What are you doing?" he growled at her.

Sam tilted her head coyly again and looked him over. Jacob was well built, but he wasn't too broad, either. He seemed to have just the right amount of muscle on his frame, enough to show his strength, but not bulky either. He had the kind of physique any woman worth her salt could admire.

"Just…admiring the view," she answered innocently.

Jacob glared at her. He already had one clone hitting on him all the time. He didn't need another, and especially not this one.

"Not much to see, especially for you."

Sam stepped closer and pointed to a scar that ran from the base of his neck, over his shoulder, and down his back. "What happened there?"

"Helicopter crash," he answered curtly. He removed his gym bag from his locker and stuffed his shirt inside.

"Oh? Do tell?"

"It's a long story. I'd rather not right now."

Sam shrugged. "Suit yourself." She stepped a little closer, making a splendid show of her creamy shoulders. "You know, you're very handsome."

Jacob froze. Craaaap. He set his bag down and looked up at her.

"And what of it?"

Sam half-recoiled, but stood her ground. "I'm just saying…"

"If you're trying to get in my pants, you're out of luck. I know that's what Lacan wants and he's not getting it."

Sam looked insulted. "Oh come on, you dumbass! I was just paying a compliment to a great man."

"Which you had to follow me in here to tell?"

"…Yes!"

Jacob laughed. "You're just as bad as Alex."

Sam stepped closer and leaned over, offering Jacob a superb view of her breasts. "I'd like to think I'm better."

Jacob's merriment vanished. This was not a situation he wanted to be in, and she was blocking the only way in. His heart sped up and his hands began trembling. He felt his senses unraveling with each breath and knew she was emitting pheromones on purpose.

"Sam, knock it off."

She leaned over further, bringing her face closer to his and presenting a better view of her cleavage. "Oh, I think you want this, _Fenrir_." She pronounced his title with a throaty, raspy breath that made Jacob swallow and start to crawl away from her across the bench. "I've read your files, Jacob. All your psychoanalysis, all your mission data, everything I could find about your past. And I know for a fact you wanted my mother."

"That's not true!" Jacob shouted angrily.

Sam leaned on the bench and placed one knee on it. "Is it? You're one of the most powerful men in the world, Jacob. You could have had any woman you wanted, but you're still a virgin."

Jacob's teeth were beginning to chatter and he clenched them to stop it. "How..how can you be so sure of how I felt for her?"

"It's easy, Jacob. All that time you spent with her? You seemed to prefer her company to the other two. They might have kept this from you all these years, but all those people who've picked over your brain concluded that you were and may still be attached to her." As Jacob retreated, she advanced. "You've never let a woman get as close to you as she did."

"She was a comrade," he answered.

Sam crawled up over him, placing one knee between his. "And here I am," she continued, "the spitting image of my mother. And yet, so much more." She was so close that Jacob could smell her breath. It was sweeter than honey, and its hot moisture intoxicated him. "I'm not like Alex and Clover, Jacob." A lurid gleam appeared in her verdant green eyes. "Unlike them, and much like you, I'm fresh." She held the last word on her tongue to drive the point home into the suddenly vulnerable man. She leaned in closer, closer, closer. "You and I…have more in common than you think."

Jacob found himself unable to retreat any further as Sam pressed her lips to his. His resistance only lasted a moment before her warm lips melted his defenses and his kissed her back. She responded with a gentle moan and pressed her lips to his more firmly and leaned him back onto the bench. She drew her knees up and straddled him, leaning down over his chest and tasting his lips. Jacob wrapped his arms around her and pulled her snugly to his chest, and she moaned in response. She held on to his shoulders and gently tightened her legs around his waist to hold herself steady and they kissed each other more urgently.

She released the kiss to catch her breath. "You're so strong, Jacob. Stronger than anyone I've ever met. I've wanted that strength ever since I laid eyes on you."

Jacob's entire body was on fire. The warmth of the clone's body permeated his own, warming a cold, empty part of his soul that he didn't realize existed. Her pheromones combined with the musky aroma of her body into a concoction more potent than any perfume in existence. It rammed its way up his nose and infected his brain, loosening his inhibitions one by one. Each kiss loosened his barriers and made him feel more alive than he'd felt in a long time.

"Oh, Sam…"

Sam silenced him with a kiss. "Hush, don't stop," she whispered.

Jacob complied and ran his hands all over her back. It was smooth and toned, just like the rest of her body. He raked his nails across her back, and Sam tilted her head back and moaned in pleasure. They both shifted their bodies into a more agreeable position and resumed their kissing.

"We need someplace more comfortable," said a breathless Jacob.

Sam shook her head. "No. Right here. Now." Jacob was surprised to hear her breathing heavily. "I can't wait any longer."

Sam moaned as Jacob squeezed her tighter to himself, and Jacob moaned as she tightened her legs around him. He slid his hand up and pulled her bra straps down and rubbed her shoulders. She leaned her head back to expose her neck and shoulders, and Jacob kissed them greedily. He was losing control. He wanted to stop, but there was no way he'd let himself now. Not when he could freely take something he'd denied himself for so long. Jacob's lips left her shoulders and trailed down her neck and found their way to her chest. The curve of her breasts called to him, and he couldn't resist. He reached between her shoulders for the clasp at the back of Sam's bra strap and took it between his fingers.

Sam gasped and whispered, "Do it."

But then a piercing shriek tore the moment apart.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

Jacob and Sam looked up to find Alex's clone standing in the doorway and looking particularly livid. Her shoulders were heaving, and she was fighting back tears.

"Sam? What are you…?"

Sam lightly leaped off Jacob and straightened her bra out. "Oh, don't worry. We didn't get to the fun stuff." She started to walk out. "He's still fair game, you kn-"

Alex grabbed Sam by the shoulders and slammed her into a locker with enough force to dent the door. "Don't you ever go near him!"

Sam glared at her. "Why shouldn't I? It's not like you're engaged to the guy."

"Shut up!" shouted Alex, tears coming to her eyes more easily. "Just stay away from him! He's mine!"

"You're being very immature, Alex. It's not becoming of someone like us."

"I don't care!" She hung her head as her body began trembling. Tears dropped to the floor. "I just…you wouldn't understand. Please, Sam."

Sam's expression softened and she shrugged off Alex's hold and hugged her. Alex returned the embrace and bawled. Jacob watched the tender scene with great interest. At least they had emotions like humans. Then again, the Alex clone always was the more emotionally fragile of the three.

"I'm sorry, Alex," said Sam. "I sometimes forget."

"I know you do. Everyone forgets. Everyone but me."

_Forgets what? _Jacob mused. Something was going on here he felt he needed to know about. He pulled on a clean shirt and zipped up his bag. Whatever it was, it could wait for now. He had more important business to attend to. He started to leave the locker room with Sam still comforting Alex. He paused next to them and Sam opened her eyes to look at him. His head was clear now, though he still felt warm from her advances. He knew this would only make dealing with the real Sam more difficult next time they met. He placed a hand on Alex's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. The brown-skinned girl looked at him through misty eyes, and he smiled warmly at her. The smile she returned was almost shy, but it was a healthy smile all the same. His hand lingered on her shoulder to let her know everything would be fine, and he left.

Sam waited for him to leave and sighed. She stroked Alex's hair and dried her tears.

"You love him, don't you?"

Alex's clone sniffed and nodded.

* * *

"Clover! Wake up already!"

Clover slowly became aware of her circumstances as her neurons clicked back to life one by one. She was lying on a carpeted floor in a dark room, her hands and feet bound together with duct tape. What's worse, she was bound to someone else, and as her mind grew more lucid she realized with a groan that it was Mandy she was bound to.

"Please tell me we're not tied up together!" she moaned loudly.

"We're not tied up together," Mandy answered sarcastically.

"Put a cork in it, Mandy!"

"I'll show you were to put a cork!" she fired back. The two roommates struggled to fight each other, but they were bound back to back and very securely at that.

"What is this stuff, duct tape?" said Clover. "Oh, this will do wonders for my complexion!"

"And this carpet needs to be cleaned pronto!" griped Mandy.

Suddenly the room flooded with light as a door swung open. The two looked up and saw two figures standing in the doorway, who revealed themselves to be Alex and Mark. Alex was holding a box, and her face held a smug grin.

"What's so funny?" barked Clover. "Did you do this to us?"

Alex said nothing and opened the box. She tilted it so they could see the contents, and Clover and Mandy gasped simultaneously.

"Those are the new Gi'Almonde faux snakeskin all-purpose boots!" they squealed in unison. "How did you get them?"  
Alex grinned. "That's not important right now."

"It is, too!"

Alex giggled. "What's important is that I have not one, but two pairs of these. One for each of you."

Clover and Mandy's eyes widened. "Then why'd you tie us up?"

Alex closed the box. "Because Sam and I are really tired of you two fighting like you have been ever since our identities became common knowledge. If Sam's fiancée and Mark can get over this, then you should too, Mandy."

"Like hell!" she spat.

Alex shrugged. "Suit yourself. But until you learn to accept the fact that Clover is a spy, and you two can get along again, I'm not untying you."

Clover glared at her. "Alex, I never took you to be so diabolical."

"And furthermore!" Alex declared. "It must be sincere. Sam's coming over tomorrow, and if either of us detect even the slightest hint of dishonesty in either of you, Sam and I are keeping the boots for ourselves."

Clover and Mandy swallowed.

"That's evil!" Mandy whined.

"And that's how it will be," said Alex. "Sam will be here at eight o'clock sharp, so if you two haven't learned how to get along by then, no boots." She started to leave and paused. "Oh, and it was Mark's idea to tie you up like that. He says it'll force you to get along better or something like that. So I'll see you both tomorrow, okay?"

"Wait!"

"Goodnight, girls!" Alex shut the door, leaving Clover and Mandy in darkness again.

Clover sighed. "Man, she could have at least given us pillows."


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo

Chapter 22

That settles it. I'm turning into a news junkie.

Sam thought this to herself after she woke up on the couch with the TV on CNN. She blinked several times while waiting for her eyes to focus. Habit told her not to rub her eyes or else they'd be red for hours. After a minute of this she still couldn't focus on the television, so she yawned and shuffled to the bathroom to wash her face. The cream-scented face wash and warm water did wonders for her and she felt refreshed and aware as she patted her face dry. She let her hair down from the tight bun she had it in the night before and lovingly brushed out the tangles as the news anchor's voice drifted to her from the living room.

"…and little progress has been made due to frequent terrorist attacks and skirmishes along the 38th parallel. The death toll has now climbed to over 500 between the two sides, though neither is willing to commit to any real military action.

Split ends? No, just fine hairs. Need to visit the salon soon. Spy work is killer on my hair!

"…no information as to the true identity of the nuclear bombers. International sources are baffled, and the UN so far has no leads. India and China are denying responsibility, while North Korea continues to decline to comment, as has South Korea."

Should I tie it up or leave it down? Nah, I'll leave it down. Got that date with Brad tonight.

"…the Speaker of the House once again called for the President to make a decision regarding the Korean crisis. The President once again calmly informed Congress that negotiations are stable but tedious, and he does not wish to upset the current situation by declaring his intentions too early."

Let's see, which underwear should I wear? Feeling sexy today…

"…while the respective leaders at the talks carry an air of civility and rationale, their respective constituents are less than happy. Riots continue to mar the otherwise peaceful talks in both countries, damages totaling in the millions both from property damage and from a large percentage of the workforce now engaged in the rioting. The North Korean government has been reluctant to release information regarding the riots there, but sources in the Associated Press tell us that it is much the same as in the south."

Corduroy skirt, silk blouse, and dark green jacket make Sammie look like a pro.

"…the leader of the World Organization of Human Protection continues to mediate the talks, and so far has declined comments on their progress, citing the sensitivity of the subject matter."

Jewelry…

"…meanwhile, a rash of terrorist incidents has the UN Security council baffled, as they are believed to have been perpetrated by the same group, but no one has come forward to claim responsibility."

Makeup…

"…common features of these attacks include widespread use of arson, severe property damage, information technology wipeouts, and 100 casualties. The unknown terrorist group has so far attacked banks, government institutions worldwide, database housing…"

Blip.

Sam grabbed her purse and briefcase. She glanced at her watch.

"Plenty of time. Always liked getting to work early." Question is, which job am I talking about? And when will I decide which one will be full-time?

Then her cell phone rang.

Alex yawned as she waited for the bus to take her to work, or at least within two hundred feet of it. In the month since their last encounter with Jacob and his cohorts, Mark had been called away on duty. She wasn't exactly sure where he was, but it was on the other side of the globe at the very least, judging by their 3 am phone conversations. More than anything she was lonely, she thought as people grouped around her to wait for the same bus. She missed the feeling of Mark's body in bed with her, and the warmth he left in the sheets after he got up, and the smell of his skin when she laid behind him, and the sound of his gentle breathing. There were more people here than usual. All the trouble lately had sent gas prices skyrocketing to the point where Alex only used the car in emergencies or to carpool. And it looked like everyone else had the same idea.

One month. Why haven't we heard any news? What are they planning while we sit here and try to act normal?

The bus pulled up beside the stop and halted with a loud hiss as the pneumatics lowered the chassis to the curb. Alex was the first on board and swiped her bus pass before finding a seat near the front. One by one the other passengers filed on and soon enough the buss lurched away from the stop. Alex watched the familiar old streets pass by. The sun seemed harsh so early in the morning, and she pulled her shades on and wrapped her thoughts around herself. She saw the WOOHP building in the distance and found herself having uneasy thoughts. She had a comfortable life as a physical therapist. She could easily do this for the rest of her life and have a good income, send the kids to college, have a little money to burn on nice things, and generally have a comfortable lifestyle.

So why was she wishing she was a full-time spy again?

Because it was thrilling. As close a call as the last one was, she remembered the danger, the thrills that shook her to her core and put her on the razor edge between life and death, throwing each into stark contrast with each other and making each breath she took feel more exuberant than the last. Life didn't seem routine or humdrum. She knew exactly what it was like to live because what it was like to not live was just around the corner.

More than that, the world of espionage was calling her again. Something important was happening and she wanted to be a part of it, just like the old days. Was this a mistake? Was it wrong to put her life in danger? Was it selfish of her to do what she wanted, and risk taking away the most important thing in her husband's life so she could relive her glory days?

The bus slowed to a halt and let more passengers on.

It was more than that. Spying made her feel important. Powerful, even. As a spy she could change the world. Not that she didn't love helping people regain use of their bodies, but fighting the forces of evil felt more important somehow. Maybe that's because it was. Maybe she had to cast her dream of having a family to chance in order to do what was right. If she did nothing, then she might not have a chance at that family she dreamed of so fondly.

She disembarked at her stop and adjusted her bag. She still had a quarter-mile walk to the office. No big deal. A brisk morning walk always does the body good.

Amazing how oblivious everyone here is. It's like Los Angeles is its own little world, and we wouldn't be remotely affected if war broke out over there. Don't they know our way of life could end soon? Maybe it's better this way. It's kind of nice not to think about it and just enjoy doing what we've always done. That is one downer about being a spy: when something bad happens, you're always right in the middle of it.

The shrill blast of a car horn shattered her thoughts, followed by a "Hey Alex!" She looked to the road and saw a red convertible with Clover behind the wheel.

"Clover! Hey!"

"Need a lift?"  
"Sure!" Oh well, so much for that brisk morning walk.

Alex jumped in almost the moment Clover hit the accelerator and zipped around a parked truck.

"So where you headed?"

"Work. It's just a little ways down. You?"

"Going to see a client at the set and see how he's coming along. How you been, girl?"

Alex shrugged. "Been better, been worse. I will say that I'm in the best physical condition of my life."

"Oh, tell me about it. Going back to WOOHP was probably the best thing I could ever do for my body short of massive cosmetic surgery." Clover punctuated her statement by patting her arm, which concealed a set of smooth, firm muscles just waiting for action.

"I'll give you that. I haven't been in this good shape for years. Oh crud, you just passed the office."

"No big deal. I'll just go around the block. You've got a few minutes now, amiright?"

Alex grinned guiltily. "Won't argue there." She stretched. "You hear anything from Henry?"

"Not a peep. I wonder what's going on? I mean, shouldn't we be trying to stop those Coyotes or whatever?"

"Wolves," she corrected. "And yeah, that is a little strange. Maybe he's letting the other agents handle things while he waits for a big assignment for us?"

"Or maybe he's waiting for an easier assignment for us recently reactivated spies."

Alex flinched. "I'd rather not thing about it like that."

"Me either. Hey, there's a good breakfast place here. Wanna grab something before work?"

"Clover, I'll be late!"

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure your boss won't mind."

"You just say that because you're your own boss."

"Just tell him you missed your stop! Come on, Alex. We hardly get together anymore!"

"Clover!"

"What?"

"The road's trying to eat us!"

"Huh? Holy crap!"

True to Alex's word, a gaping maw had opened in the road ahead of them. Clover hit the brakes, but they were too close already and the car ran headlong into a tunnel that disappeared seamlessly back into the road.

Clover struggled to keep the car under control as they careened down a narrow underground tunnel.

"If I scratch this thing Henry is going to eat my pointiest stilettos!"

Alex clutched her bag to her chest. "Well, we wanted to hear something from Henry!"

The tunnel ended in a flash of light and the girls found themselves parked in Henry's office.

"Good morning, spies. Right on time as usual."

Clover pried her fingers off the steering wheel and gingerly turned the engine off. "G-g-g-good to see you to, Benny."

Alex looked around. "Is Sam here?"

Henry looked at his watch. She should be dropping in right about…now."

The ceiling opened wide and Sam's screaming announced her arrival as she plopped into the back seat.

"Oww."

"Good morning Sam. Now that you're all here, we can begin."

Sam hauled herself upright and leaned on the back of Clover's seat. "What's new?" she asked grumpily.

"We've been monitoring the terrorist activity in Korea and discovered the individuals responsible. He called up several photographs on the screen. "Though we saw no evidence of Jacob himself at these scenes, we did see some of his cohorts. I was hoping you could identify some of them." He focused on the first picture, a man dressed in all black and carrying a machine gun.

"Spectre," said Sam. "He can somehow pass through shadows and affect light so that his power is enhanced."

The next picture showed a young man with long, black hair and pulling a cloak around his body.

"Inferno," muttered Clover. "I think he has a crush on me."

Henry stopped. "He what?"

"I said I think he has a crush on me!"

"I'll remember that. You may have given us something very important, Clover."

"What? A psycho creep likes me? And exactly how many times have we seen that scenario?"

"Point taken. Anyway, I didn't just call you here for this. Britney has been gathering intelligence for us for some time in this case, and she sent us some data which give us reason to believe that another one of our labs is about to be attacked."

"Were's this one?" asked Alex.

"South America. Buenos Aires, to be precise. It's actually quite a clever location. The whole complex is disguised as an old government building, but beneath it is a research facility as advanced as…girls?"

Henry took one look and knew he'd lost their attention.

"Buenos Aires. Brad said that's his dream vacation spot!" gurgled Sam.

"I have family there!" squealed Alex.

"And Portugese is such a sexy language!" Clover gooed.

"Excuse me!" Henry interrupted. "We are trying to avert World War Three here!"

The girls immediately sat up straight, but their excitement was ill-contained.

"Anyway, I am not sending you there for vacation time. The three of you are being added to the security detail at the laboratory. The second sample is stored there, and Britney's information tells us either side could strike at any moment."

"What about the third sample?" asked Sam. "Why wouldn't they try to take it while we're off in Brazil?"

"Each laboratory has the location of another laboratory stored in its database. Only I know the location of all three. In order to learn the location of one laboratory, you have to go to another. It makes communication extremely complicated, but it's necessary for security."

Clover waved her hands like she was shooing a fly. "Yeah yeah, security, genes, samples, whatever. Can we go already?"

"Um, yes of course, Clover. I'll send you on your way immediately." Henry pressed a button that caused the floor beneath the car to turn the entire vehicle upside-down and vanish. The girls dropped from the car, which was now attached to a ceiling in the room below Henry's office, into an awaiting jet that immediately roared to life and took off with the girls screaming all the way.

A short while later, the girls had composed themselves and Sam had the autopilot taking them to Buenos Aires. They kicked back in the seats and watched the clouds pass them by at mach 2.

"You sure were in a hurry to get the mission started, Clover," Alex observed. "That's so not like you, being this enthusiastic about guard duty."

"Who said anything about guard duty?" Clover said with a wry smile. "This is Buenos Aires we're talking about. Do you know how long it's been since I've been someplace exotic like that?"

Sam spun around in her seat. "Hold it, you're no thinking about running off on the job, are you?"

"Oh Sam, it's not running off. As international workers of goodwill we need to be in tune with cultures all over the world. How are we supposed to understand the people of Brazil if we're going to be cooped up inside a silly lab all day long?"

"But, we have an assignment!"

"Come on, Sammie! This is Buenos Aires we're talking about! How often do you get to go to Buenos Aires in a lifetime?"

Sam clenched her teeth. This was a bad idea and she knew it. "Clover, we really shouldn't. This isn't like the old days. We're not kids anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying what you're proposing is irresponsible. You've seen what we're up against. These guys mean business, whatever they're after."

Clover glared at Sam, her eyes brimming with hurt. "Why, why are you…?"

"This isn't like the old days, Clover," said Sam with all the conviction of a general. "We can't live out our old childhood fantasies anymore because we're not children. We're adults and we're playing an adult's game. I mean, don't you want to at least try to figure out why everyone wants our DNA?"

"Nope."

Sam was just about to launch into her next point, expecting Clover to have relented to logic, but she simply stared at Clover with her mouth hanging open and her voice stuck in her throat.

"Honestly Sam, I don't care. I'll kick these guys' asses, save the day, and go back to my job back in L.A. I was never good with the scientific stuff, and I never will be. I'm sure it's fascinating to you, but as far as I'm concerned, I just want to get the job done and go home, go to work, and chase guys."

"Me too!" piped Alex. "'Cept for the dating guys part, I mean," she quickly added. "Married and all."

Sam looked back and forth between them, hopelessly outnumbered. "So, you're not going to completely slack off?"

"Not completely," Clover answered with a wink.

One thing Sam had forgotten was just how manipulative Clover could be.

The other thing she had forgotten was that sometimes credit cards don't work overseas.

Thus the girls were restricted to window-shopping for the entire morning after arriving in Buenos Aires. They had avoided the WOOHP staff sent to pick them up by excusing themselves to the bathroom and put their X-Powder disguises to good use and slipped away unnoticed.

The weather was warm and breezy that day, and the girls ducked into many shops to cool down, though all of them were craving cold smoothies by eleven o'clock. That didn't distract Clover from ogling the many bronze-skinned men that inhabited the upscale part of the city they found themselves in.

"I'm so thirsty!" Alex moaned. "We need to get to the lab just so we can get something to drink."

"No kidding," Sam added. "Without any way to pay for things here, we'll starve soon enough."

They paused to gaze longingly at a menu outside a cozy-looking restaurant. The delicate aroma of fine cooking drifted out of the open door and drove their stomachs wild.

"Man, and I've been saving up for a trip like this," whined Clover. "I had this funny feeling I should have packed my traveler's checks today."

"Funny feeling?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, this little voice in my head saying 'take your traveler's checks, Clover!' But of course I didn't listen because hey, why would a native of LA need traveler's checks on a perfectly normal day? Not like we get sucked into vacuum tubes every day or anything, right?"

Sam and Alex giggled at Clover's rant on WOOHP's preferred method of transporting its agents, and they continued down the street in the general direction of the secret laboratory.

Sam sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I guess we'd better head over there if we intend to eat."

Alex stuck out her tongue in disgust at the idea. "I'd almost prefer to starve than force WOOHP cafeteria food down my throat. At least their salads are edible."

"Edible is a relative term, Alex."

"At least it's not an MRE. Mark let me try one the other day, and I wouldn't punish a dog with that sh – I mean crap" she corrected.

"See, depends on the dog for me," said Clover.

"Huh?"

"Like Sam said, it's all relative. Now where did you say this place was, Sammie?"

"Not far. The building is just down the street."

An easy ten-minute walk found them across the street from a pricey department store. The sun was now high above, baking the city the same color brown as its inhabitants. The smell of the sea drifted across the girls' noses with the wind, and high above the city the statue of the Christ looked over them with outstretched arms.

"Think he's really watching over us?" asked Alex.

"Huh?" Sam and Clover responded.

Alex pointed to the statue overlooking the city. "Him."

Sam and Clover looked at it for a few seconds and shrugged.

"It's just a statue," said Sam. "Why do you ask?"

"I dunno. With all this talk of doomsday, I keep thinking we'll need all the help we can get." She wiped the sweat from her brow and the thought seemed to pass. "Anyway, how do we get in? I'm totally parched."

Sam approached an ordinary-looking mailbox. "I think the secret entrance is here. I just show it my WOOHP I.D. and…"

She held her I.D. badge in front of the mailbox's opening. The door opened and a scanner examined her I.D. and retreated back into the box.

"Okay, if I know WOOHP technology, let's brace ourselves."

The girls faced the mailbox and steeled themselves for a vacuum-powered trip through the mailbox and into the WOOHP laboratory, which left them totally unprepared for the plush cushion that scooped them up from behind and gently carried them down a long shaft. A light pop melody accompanied their trip into the lab, and a robotic arm served them fresh bottled water. If anything the extraordinary pleasantness of this entry was far more jarring than a typical vacuum tube trip.

"Well this was…unexpected," said Clover.

Alex downed her entire bottle at once and finished it with a satisfied gasp. "But refreshing!"

A snide grin appeared on Sam's face and she opened her X-Powder. "I gotta tell Henry about this. This is how spies should travel." She tried to page Henry, but found only static on her display. "That's weird. No signal."

"This place probably has a lot of security and stuff for that," Alex offered.

"Maybe. Not the first time our signals have been blocked. I'm sure we can call him once we're inside."

The ride ended and greeted the spies with a refreshing blast of cool air as they stepped off the landing platform and into the airlock.

"I dunno, I think we might just enjoy being here if the entrance was that pleasant," Clover remarked.

Sam folded her arms and gave Clover an I-told-you-so look. "And you said you didn't care about science."

"The only science I care about is the stuff that makes me look good or keeps me comfortable. Outside of that I leave it to brainiacs like you, Sammie."

"Hey! I am not a brainiac!" She whined.

Clover raised her eyebrow in a challenge. "How many times did you read _Les Miserables?_"

"Seven and a half," Sam answered automatically before she hunched her shoulders and pouted her lips. "You win. This time."

The inner door opened with a mild hiss and the spies stepped into an empty lobby. Empty was actually a misnomer. The lobby that greeted them was more along the lines of abandoned. Nothing stirred save for the quite hum of the air conditioning.

"I guess everyone's at lunch," Alex suggested.

"Or at work," added Sam. "Let's find a receptionist."

The receptionist's table lay directly ahead of them, but even it was empty.

"Coffee break?" said Alex.

Clover leaned over the table and her eyes widened in alarm. "Something tells me she left for something a little more important than coffee."

The other girls leaned over the table and gasped. The receptionist's chair lay on the floor, hewn neatly in two. Sam hopped over the table and knelt beside the chair.

"Something happened here. Something bad." She stood up and looked around. "We need to get to the communications room and contact Henry. I think it's spy time, girls."

They changed into their spy suits and headed for the other end of the lobby.

"You two go find out what happened to the staff. I'll look for the comm. center and contact Henry." Sam turned to leave, but Alex grabbed her arm and held her fast.

"Sam, I think we should stick together. I've got a really bad feeling about this."

Sam opened her mouth to object, but the innocent concern she saw in Alex's face shut it for her and changed her mind. "Okay, we stick together. This means we should find the staff first. The comm. room might be secure anyway."

They hurried through the empty compound, searching every room for signs of the staff and finding none. One by one the rooms passed, and with every passing moment the feeling of despair grew. It was not a big compound, and the number of unsearched rooms decreased rapidly until they encountered a large, locked double door made of titanium.

"Well," said Sam, "We need to get through here."

"Which means we probably need a security card, don't we?" said Alex, pointing at a card reader near the door.

Clover looked down the hall. "Let's try in there. I think I see a computer" she said, pointing to an open door.

The entered the room and turned the light on. The fluorescent light flickered to life, casting a uniform, lifeless light around the room and its computers.

"Perfect! Said Sam. These are probably connected to the network!"

"Which means?" asked Clover.

"We might be able to find out what happened or even get in contact with someone."

The moment Sam took a step toward the nearest computer, the shadows in the room turned an impenetrably black, and the light became whiter, casting the shadows into even greater contrast. A black figure stepped out from a shadow cast by a server cabinet and revealed itself to be Spectre.

"You!" the girls exclaimed all at once.

"A pleasure to see you three again," he said derisively. "Though I could have wished for more comfortable accommodations."

"Shut your trap!" Sam ordered. "What have you done with the staff?"

"Me? Nothing. I got here shortly before you did, and well after the real attackers."

"Real attackers?"

Spectre nodded solemnly. "Yes, I think Atlas beat us here. The staff have locked themselves in a secure portion of the facility."

"Then what are you doing here?" asked Clover.

"Hoping I'm not too late. Jacob believes we may be in over our heads this time. Atlas has some new toys courtesy of Geraldine and Scam."

"Jacob's here?" Sam exclaimed.

"Yes, along with Inferno. But I think-"

"Too late for what?" asked Alex.

"To stop Atlas from obtaining the second sample. Look, shouldn't you be worried about-"

"Inferno's here?" cried Clover. "At least we get to fight someone cute, even if he is a little short."

Spectre's eye twitched. "WILL YOU LET ME FINISH?" He took a deep breath and recomposed himself. "They have…new weapons this time, the likes of which we've never seen. You should leave."

"Can't do that," said Sam. "If someone's attacking WOOHP, we have to stop them."

Spectre's normally somber face curled into a smirk. "You're inviting disaster."

Clover shrugged. "What can we say? It's in the job description."

Specter's smirk widened into a smile, and he shrugged.

"As you wish. I will open the door for you. But that is as far as I can help."

"We'd appreciate that," said Sam.

Spectre silently bowed and vanished into a shadow. Moments later, the girls heard a loud hiss and stepped outside. The locked door was partially open. The approached it cautiously and peered inside. Red light bathed the small room inside, and antiseptic sprays created a thin fog within. At the other end of the room sat an airlock. The lights on the control panel glowed green.

"Well, this…is it," said Sam as she squeezed through the door.

Alex took a deep breath and exhaled. "I didn't really want to go to work anyway." She slipped through the door.

Clover looked at the narrow opening with apprehension. "Um, you guys go on ahead! I'll try to contact WOOHP from here!"

Sam stuck her head through the door. "Clover, the control room's back here. Everything out here is useless.

"Yeah, but!"

"Stop stalling and come on!" She cawed, grabbing Clover's arm and yanking her inside. Sam yelped in surprise when instead of pulling her inside, Clover stopped suddenly and Sam lost her grip and stumbled back.

"Waaaah! Guys! I'm stuck!"

Sam and Alex stared at her in disbelief. Clover was now wedged in the opening.

"No way," said Sam.

Alex stroked her chin. "Clover's put on weight?"

Clover thrashed angrily at them. "I have not! I'm just bigger than you guys. No, I mean-"

"Ah-ha! You admit it!"

"Will you just shut up and help me! We're on a mission here!" She screeched.Sam fought valiantly against her urge to laugh, but a few squeaks escaped from her mouth. She and Alex each took one half of the door and pulled with all their might, forcing the door open just wide enough to let Clover through.

"I'm going on a diet when we get back from this," Clover grumbled as they proceeded through the airlock. The doors whirred and circled them until they opened on the interior of the lab.

The doors opened and they were met with a lightning storm. A cavernous room stood before them behind a safety shield. It was filled with rows upon rows of glowing machines that fired bolts of electricity between one another at varying intervals. The flickering lightning illuminated the otherwise darkened rooms, which were lit only be emergency lighting.

"Static electricity much?" asked Alex.

"More like ultra-high voltage," Sam corrected. "There must be enough electricity running around in there to power Beverly Hills for a year."

"One point seven years, to be exact," said a familiar mechanical voice.

The girls spun around and found themselves face-to-face with the saucer-shaped robot with a single mechanical eye. For a machine, it seemed happy to see them.

"GLADIS?" they exclaimed together.

"Good afternoon, girls. Good to see you again. I reprimand you for being late, but things are getting desperate here."

"What's going on?" asked Sam.

Lighting flickered and cast GLADIS in an eerie white light. "As you should know, we keep a sample of Sam's DNA here. When Jerry retired he placed me in charge of guarding this facility. Though it seems some can get past even me."

Sam felt a surge of flattery at the notion of Jerry entrusting his own creation to guard even part of her. "Where are they?"

"Farther down in the research block. I'd help you, but they've severed most of my control over the facility. The most I can do is show you the way." A line of green lights appeared on one of the walls and curved away to the right.

"We also need to get to the communications center and contact Henry. Where is it?"

"That would not be wise," GLADIS answered coldly.

"What? Why not? We're in over our heads and-"

"There's been a lot of fierce fighting in that area. I cannot recommend you going there."

Clover grabbed GLADIS and glared into her eye. "Take me to the communications center or so help me I'll reprogram you into a tanning bed!"

GLADIS' lights flickered for a moment while she calculated Clover's offer."Very well" she consented with a touch of robotic hesitation. A line of green lights appeared and curved to the left.

Clover released GLADIS and dusted her hands off. "So, should we split up?"  
"I wouldn't advise that," droned GLADIS.

"Shut up."

Sam placed her hand on Alex's shoulder. "Alex and I will try to save the sample. You go to the communications room and contact headquarters. GLADIS can help you out there."

"I'm afraid that will be impossible," said GLADIS.

"Eeeh?"

"For security purposes, my systems are not connected to the communications systems. Thus I cannot help you there. I suggest Sam go instead, being the more mechanically inclined of the three of you."

Sam looked at Clover, who nodded.

"Go. Kicking but is more in me and Alex's repertoire anyway, right Alex?"

"Yeah. Computers are more your thing Sam. We'll be fine."

Sam nodded. "Okay GLADIS. Lead the way."

GLADIS led Clover and Alex to the end of the gigantic electricl room. The corridor spit them out into the shipping area, and they found themselves looking out over another huge room with an equally large hangar door on one end. Most of the lights were out, which cast the entire room in an unsettling red and white glow. Numerous catwalks crisscrossed the space above the room, and various cranes and other equipment hung from the ceiling.

"GLADIS, which way?" asked Clover.

"To your left," responded her disembodied voice, "but someone is blocking my signals to open the door. Wait, there's something else in there with you."

"What is it?" asked Alex before something huge appeared before them and swiped at them with an enormous hand.

"What the hell was that!?" shouted Clover as she and Alex dove to safety down opposite ends of the platform. She rolled to a stop and looked up. Standing before her, shaded in bloody red light, was an enormous monster. It stood on its hind legs, though its arms nearly reached to the floor and ended in ghastly claws. A spiked collar adorned its neck, and a steel muzzle covered its mouth below its glowing red eyes. It reached for Clover, who jumped onto its arm and then leaped to the nearest catwalk.

"Alex! What the hell is that thing?"

"Beats me!" shouted Alex as it swiped at her.

Clover barely had time to formulate a strategy before she heard a deafening snarl come from behind her. A second beast leaped at her and crashed through the network of catwalks with deafening clamor. Clover ran for her life, leaping from one collapsing catwalk to the next before finally finding one that didn't give under her weight.

"Aleeex!" She'd lost sight of her friend.

"I'm okay!" She sounded distant. "We'll meet up later!"

Clover looked down. The beast stood on the floor and glared at her angrily, searching for a way to get to her.

"You like my latest creations?"

Clover looked up and found Geraldine observing nearby and wearing quite the smug smile on her face.

"Geraldine. Didn't think you'd be the type to keep mutts around."

"Actually they're closer to humans than dogs, but that's beside the point. I call them beasts, since that's about all they are. All I care is that they obey me. As you can see, my new employers keep me very well funded."

"For such a brilliant woman, you really are a psycho."

"Tell it to your playmate. I should warn you, though." Geraldine produced a remote control. "They have quite the appetite for fresh meat." She pressed a button and with a loud pop the muzzle fell off the beast's face, revealing a slobbering mouth filled with fangs the size of surfboards.

Geraldine laughed wickedly as she strolled away casually. "Have fun, you two."

The beast climbed onto the raised platform along the wall and leaped toward Clover, grabbing onto a girder and hand-over-handing his way toward her.

GLADIS' lights ended and Sam found herself making her way alone through the dim corridors of the lab. Every door was locked, leading her farther down the corridor. The hallway felt familiar. It reminded her of the office during one of her late night projects. No one around, the only sound being the air conditioning and the hum of fluorescent lights. It was eerie there, and it was especially eerie here. She stopped and looked back. No one behind her, but it certainly felt like it. Probably just nerves. After all, she was in an empty complex that was reportedly infested with bad guys.

Her heels clicked loudly on the tile floor and echoed down the sterile walls. Her senses strained for any sign of danger. Any little detail out of place, any suspicious sound, any odd shadow that would alert her to danger.

Complete silence. Complete stillness.

Her brain told her everything was fine, but her gut told her something was up. It was way too quiet. Sam scolded herself for falling into such a clichéd routine, but with every step her brain listened to her gut a little more. Her ears searched the silence, and then the few ambient sounds that did exist. Her clicking heels, the humming air conditioning, her steady breathing – searching them for clues. Then she noticed something; a hole in the sound. It was dead silent in the lab, but from right behind her, it was entirely too silent. Near the end of the hallway, before a pair of double doors, she stopped and listened to that hole, and ducked when she heard an almost mute hiss as something sliced the air in two where her head was a moment ago.

She leaped away and heard metal sing as it cut through the air and follow her. She back flipped down the hall and heard the faint scuffle of feet pursuing her. The invisible enemy swung again and missed, only to knock the head off of a sprinkler and unleash a torrent of water. The spray outlined a human form, and moments later electricity arced across the empty shape and the attacker came into view. A high-tech suit covered his entire body, with a plain gray mask that covered his face. Two narrow eye holes broke the monotony of the mask, and the armor of his suit was curved and patterned in a way that resembled the muscles on a human. Though the feature that really drew Sam's attention was the razor-sharp ninja sword he carried.

The assassin looked at himself briefly as his cloaking device shorted out in the spray and then focused his attention on Sam once again. Sam slid her left foot back and lowered her shoulders. The ninja lunged at her and took a vicious swipe, hitting nothing but air as Sam dodged the tip of his sword by inches. Sam ducked and swept his feet out from under him, but the ninja landed on one hand, spun around and planted his right foot in Sam's stomach, launching her into the wall. Sam's feet hit the floor just as he leaped off his hand and swung at her. Her reflexes caused her to duck and the sword gouged the wall inches above her head and caused an ear-splitting screech as it sliced through the sheet metal. Sam grabbed the ninja's shoulders and planted both her feet in his chest, launched him into the opposite wall, and flipped gracefully as he bounced off and dropped his sword.

The ninja wasted no time recovering and swung his legs at Sam's feet. She leaped into the air and landed on his stomach with both feet, and immediately performed a second somersault and drove her heels into his stomach again. His body spasmed and went limp as his breath escaped him.

"What was that?" she wondered aloud as she opened the doors and found Jacob ripping wires out of a computer console.

Sam froze. Did he hear her come in? His back was turned to her and he seemed deep in concentration. He appeared to be cutting and splicing wires together at a console beside a heavy door. The oblong room led off to her left and right, with doors leading in either direction. It looked like Jacob was trying to get into that room.

"Ow!" he shouted when a live wire shocked him. He shook his hand, turned around and froze. Sam swallowed. For a moment, she saw Jacob frustrated and angry, and then it melted behind his normally calm and serious demeanor.

"What are you doing here?"

"I should ask the same of you."

They stared at each other. Sam clenched her fists and maintained a slow, rhythmic breath. She was nervous as could be, but she couldn't let him see it like she saw him a moment ago. "You're here for the sample, right?"

"I wouldn't have any other reason, but this door is sealed."

"Why here? This is the communications area, not the vault."

"Let's just say I need to phone in some backup."

"Ha, then it's true. You are in over your head Mr. Fenrir."

"Har. If I'm in the weeds, then so are you, my dear."

Sam opened her mouth to fire back a witty retort and paused with her mouth open and her finger pointing at Jacob. He was right. Oh crap.

"Help me get this door open," he said, indicating the disemboweled control panel.

Sam reluctantly nodded. "The truce is still on, right?"  
"As long as Atlas is still alive, I will not harm you."

Jacob stood aside as Sam approached the console. She found a port and plugged her X-Powder into it and pulled up a diagram for hotwiring the security door.

"Just one question," she said as she worked, "why are these, I mean, our DNA samples so important? I know you're not building a clone army."

Jacob looked around uneasily. "I can't tell you."

Sam snorted as she spliced a wire to another. "And why not?"

Jacob kept his eyes averted. "Let's just say you'd rather have me in possession of the things than Atlas."

"I find that hard to believe, Jake." She worked on the mass of wires until there was one left to reconnect. She held the ends in each hand and looked up to him. "I have another question."

"Shoot."

"If I'm ever in trouble, would you come save me?"

"Come again?"

"If I'm ever in trouble, like facing certain death, and you had the option to save me, would you do it, even if it interfered with your plans?"

Jacob closed his eyes and smiled. "Probably."

Sam paused and looked at him. "Why?"

"I'll tell you someday, if you manage to survive."

Sam shuddered as she spliced the wires together. The door slid open slowly and stopped a quarter of the way open.

"That's about all I can do."

"That's fine. By the way, have you gotten any better at fighting since I saw you last?"

Sam scoffed. "I'm a super spy now. I'm nothing like I was then."

"Good, because we're surrounded."

Sam stared at him flatly. "Say that again and tell me you're joking."

"Then I'd be lying, dear."

Sam edged closer to him. Jacob's hand stretched to his leg and drew his gun from its holster and pointed it at the opposite wall. "You can come out now."

Eight ninja like the one Sam fought earlier materialized in a circle around them. All of them wielded swords and stood ready to strike.

Sam and Jacob stood back-to-back.

"What are they?" she asked.

"Atlas assassins. But the suits are new."

"One of my latest creations," said a voice that made Sam's blood boil. Standing at the west entrance to the room was none other than Tim Scam, wearing the cocky smile that Sam hated with a passion. "I decided these guys could use some new gear, so I cooked up those stealth suits for them. They even double their strength and protect them from small arms fire. Nifty, huh?"

"So you're working for Atlas?" growled Sam.

Scam laughed. "Yes. It's so nice working for the people who are going to rule the world."

"Don't count your chickens, Scam," said Jacob.

"Funny, coming from a man who's about to die. By the way, weren't you looking for this?" Scam held up a red tube that made Jacob's eyes flash with anger.

"Give me that! You have no idea what you're doing!" He pointed his gun at Scam.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm doing what I've always wanted. Getting the freedom to do whatever I want, and taking revenge on that fool Jerry."

"You leave Jerry alone!" Sam spat.

"Hah! Why bother? The old man's retired now. I think it will be much more satisfying for him to watch his beloved organization crumble before his very eyes."

"Wh-what?"

"Sorry, can't say much more than that. Have fun with your playmates!" Scam turned and left. Jacob and Sam faced their most pressing issue, that of the assassins leveling their swords at them.

"We have to stop him!" said Sam.

"Agreed, but first we have to live long enough to do that."

The assassins tensed for an attack.

"Nervous?" Jacob asked Sam.

"Me? Nah."

"Good."

Twisted steel rained down upon the floor as Clover rode a collapsing catwalk to the floor and leaped off to cushion her fall. The beast landed on the floor behind her and Clover took off running. The ground shook with each step the beast took, and the air trembled from his roar. He tried to swat her with a mighty swing from his claw but missed. Clover doubled back on him and filled her hands with WOOHP's anti-friction bath beads. She ran between the beast's legs, held her breath at the unbelievable stench, and tossed the beads at the creature's feet. The beads burst and coated the creature's feet with a powerful lubricant, causing him to slip and fall down as he tried to turn and follow her.

Clover ran for her little blonde life and intercepted Alex halfway across the floor. Alex turned and ran alongside her as the second beast came in hot pursuit.

"Man, now I know what a roach feels like!" said Clover.

"Roach? I was thinking more like a mouse!" said Alex.

"What-ever! Just keep running!" she squeaked.

The beast charged after them, quickly closing the gap between himself and his prey. He scooped up a section of the scaffolding and threw it at the girls. The steel structure landed short of them, but its momentum carried it across the floor and scooped Clover and Alex up before smashing into the opposite wall and trapping them in an Escherian cage. The Beast slowed its pace and stalked toward them with saliva pouring from between its greedy teeth.

"I dun wanna be a snack!" whined Alex.

"I'm too pretty to be eaten!" cried Clover as she hugged Alex.

The beast leaped at them like a living mountain, his teeth and claws bared for the kill. Suddenly a cloaked figure appeared between them and the beast. The creature appeared to hover in the air for a moment as the girls' minds tried to comprehend this sudden turn of events, and then it exploded in an apocalyptic fireball, the roar of the flames becoming one with the Beast's dying roar. When the flames dissipated, only ashes remained. Clover rubbed her eyes to clear the spots floating in her vision and saw a cloaked figure with long black hair standing with his back to her.

"I-Inferno?"

Inferno turned around calmly. "Clover, nice to see you again. I trust you're okay?"

Clover stared at the pile of smoking ashes that once was the beast. "Yeah, thanks to you." She and Alex crawled from their twisted steel cage and brushed themselves off. "Why are you here?"  
"To stop Atlas, but…did you gain weight?"

"Shut up!" she screamed. She fumed at Inferno and crossed her arms. "So what do we do now?"

"They already have the sample. Look, you have to get out of here. This place is crawling with their assassins. They'll make mince meat out of you both."

Inferno turned to leave, but Clover grabbed his arm and felt hard metal beneath his cloak where an arm should have been. She recoiled at the touch, then strengthened her grip and forced him to look at her.

"Listen to me, you! What's going on here?"

"I just told you!"  
"No, I mean what's Jacob up to? Who was that old lady at that ceremony, and what exactly are all of you up to?"

Inferno stared at her. Clover's gaze remained fixed on his dark yes as his creased with concern. He slowly stepped closer, keeping his eyes fixed on hers, growing bigger as he got closer, though he was still no taller than Clover. She started blushing as he got close enough to smell his breath, accompanied with a toxic mix of ashes and fire. Inferno, too, felt uncomfortable as a whiff of Clover's perfume crept into his nose over the same smells.

"We're trying to save the world," he said matter-of-factly.


End file.
